Enhanced astronaut hygiene and mission efficiency: a novel approach to in-suit waste management and water recovery in spacewalks

Sofia M Etlin, Luca Bielski, Julianna K. Rose, Karen Morales, Avery Belman, Emma Alexander, Emma Li, Richard Lin, Krishna Patel, Stephanie Rakhmonova, Claire Walter, Christopher E. Mason
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Abstract

The current waste management system within the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) consists of a disposable diaper—the Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG)—that collects urine and feces during extravehicular activities (EVAs) that last up to 8 h. Such exposure to waste for prolonged periods of time contributes to hygiene-related medical events, including urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal distress. Historically, prior to using the MAG, astronauts have limited their food intake or eaten a low-residue diet before embarking on physically demanding spacewalks, reducing their work performance index (WPI) and posing a health risk. Furthermore, the current 0.95 L In-suit Drink Bag (IDB) does not provide sufficient water for more frequent, longer-range spacewalks, which carry greater potential for contingency scenarios requiring extended time away from a vehicle. High transport costs per pound to space and resource scarcity exacerbate these challenges, underscoring the need for water-efficient waste management. This paper introduces a novel in-suit urine collection and filtration system developed in the Mason Lab at Weill Cornell Medical College that could address these hygiene and hydration concerns. The device would collect astronaut urine via an external catheter and filter it using forward and reverse osmosis (FO-RO) into potable water, creating a sustainable and hygienic circular water economy, enhancing astronaut wellbeing. This research aims to achieve an 85% urine collection rate using a modified MAG. The modified MAG will be made of a flexible compression material lined with antimicrobial fabric, and urine is collected through a silicone urine collection cup, which differs for male and female astronauts to conform to anatomy. Urine collection via a vacuum pump is triggered by a humidity sensor that detects the presence of urine in the cup. The FO-RO filtration system targets a minimum of 75% water recovery, while consuming less than 10% of EMU energy. To meet health standards, the filtrate maintains low salt levels (<250 ppm NaCl) and effectively removes major urine solutes (urea, uric acid, ammonia, calcium). However, further research and testing are warranted to refine and implement these innovations for future space missions, contributing to the advancement of deep space exploration technologies and astronaut health and performance.
增强宇航员卫生和飞行任务效率:太空行走中的舱内废物管理和水回收新方法
舱外活动装置(EMU)内目前的废物管理系统包括一个一次性尿布--最大吸收力服装(MAG)--在长达8小时的舱外活动(EVA)期间收集大小便。从历史上看,在使用 MAG 之前,宇航员都会限制食物摄入量,或在进行体力要求很高的太空行走之前食用低残留物饮食,这降低了他们的工作绩效指数(WPI),并带来健康风险。此外,目前 0.95 升的宇航服内饮水袋(IDB)无法为更频繁、更长距离的太空行走提供足够的水,而太空行走更有可能出现需要长时间离开飞行器的紧急情况。向太空运输每磅水的高昂成本和资源稀缺加剧了这些挑战,凸显了节水型废物管理的必要性。本文介绍了威尔康奈尔医学院梅森实验室开发的一种新型舱内尿液收集和过滤系统,它可以解决这些卫生和水合问题。该装置将通过外部导管收集宇航员的尿液,并利用正向和反向渗透(FO-RO)技术将其过滤成饮用水,从而创造一种可持续和卫生的循环水经济,提高宇航员的健康水平。这项研究的目标是利用改进型 MAG 实现 85% 的尿液收集率。改装后的 MAG 将由内衬抗菌织物的柔性压缩材料制成,通过硅胶尿液收集杯收集尿液,男性和女性宇航员的尿液收集杯有所不同,以符合解剖结构。通过真空泵收集的尿液由湿度传感器触发,该传感器可检测到杯中是否有尿液。FO-RO 过滤系统的目标是至少回收 75% 的水,同时消耗不到 EMU 能源的 10%。为了符合卫生标准,过滤后的水保持低盐水平(<250 ppm NaCl),并有效去除尿液中的主要溶质(尿素、尿酸、氨、钙)。不过,还需要进一步的研究和测试,以完善和实施这些创新技术,用于未来的太空任务,促进深空探测技术和宇航员健康与性能的进步。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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