Originally developed by Nobel Prize-winning French chemist Paul Sabatier in the early 1900s, this process uses a catalyst that reacts with carbon dioxide and hydrogen - both byproducts of current life-support systems onboard the space station - to produce water and methane.
Full Answer
How do they make water in space?
Originally developed by Nobel Prize-winning French chemist Paul Sabatier in the early 1900s, this process uses a catalyst that reacts with carbon dioxide and hydrogen - both byproducts of current life-support systems onboard the space station - to produce water and methane.
How does the International Space Station get rid of water?
Water is lost by the Space Station in several ways: the water recycling systems produce a small amount of unusable brine; the oxygen-generating system consumes water; air that's lost in the air locks takes humidity with it; and the CO2 removal systems leach some water out of the air, to name a few.
What would it take to build a successful space colony?
Most people need about ten pounds of food, water, and oxygen per day. If the colony is to get its supplies by rocket from Earth, it will be necessary to launch one each day. Not only is this expensive, but it would contradict one of the major goals of space colonization: to build a self-sufficient human community. There must be a space farm.
What is a space settlement?
A space settlement is a home in orbit. Rather than live on the outside of a planet, settlers will live inside of large spacecraft. Free-space settlement designs range from 100 meters to a few kilometers across. A few designs are much larger. Settlements must be air tight to hold a breathable atmosphere, and may rotate to provide psuedo-gravity.
How does Sabatier help the space station?
In addition to improving the efficiency of the station's resupply capabilities, Sabatier also frees up storage space. This helps to maximize the area available for science facilities and engineering equipment. The knowledge gained from such systems also advances the collective understanding of technologies to advance spaceflight and help solve similar problems on Earth.
Why is water important to humans?
Drinkable water is one of the primary and most important assets for human survival. So when preparing for a journey, whether to sea or to space, planners must take this vital resource into consideration. Stowage space during such voyages always comes at a premium. It is no different for the International Space Station and the resupply vehicles ...
What is Sabatier in the regenerative environment?
Currently in operation on the station, Sabatier is the final piece of the regenerative environmental control and life-support system. This hardware was successfully activated in October 2010 and interacts directly with the Oxygen Generation System, which provides hydrogen, sharing a vent line. Prior to Sabatier, the Oxygen Generation System vented ...
How long has Sabatier been in development?
The fundamental technology for this particular system has been in development for the past 20 years. The overall schedule for hardware production, however, was under two years. This accelerated timeline was a significant challenge for the complex Sabatier, which contains a furnace, a multistage compressor, and a condenser/phase-separation system. The fact that recycling system feeds for Sabatier were already available on the station helped to simplify some of the design tasks by reducing the unknowns.
What is a solution to minimize size and weight in life support?
A great example of a solution to minimize size and weight in life support is the recently launched Sabatier system. Originally developed by Nobel Prize-winning French chemist Paul Sabatier in the early 1900s, this process uses a catalyst that reacts with carbon dioxide and hydrogen - both byproducts of current life-support systems onboard ...
Does the Sabatier system provide water to the space station?
The Sabatier system has long been a part of the space station plan, but the retirement of NASA's space shuttles elevated the need for new resources to provide water. For a decade, shuttles have provided water for the station as a byproduct of the fuel cells they use to generate electricity. Sabatier supplements the capability of resupply vehicles to provide water to the station, without becoming a sole source for this critical station resource.
How does the Space Station lose water?
Water is lost by the Space Station in several ways: the water recycling systems produce a small amount of unusable brine; the oxygen-generating system consumes water; air that's lost in the air locks takes humidity with it; and the CO2 removal systems leach some water out of the air, to name a few.
How is water made fresh again?
On Earth, water that passes through animals' bodies is made fresh again by natural processes. Microbes in the soil break down urea and convert it to a form that plants can absorb and use to build new plant tissue. The granular soil also acts as a physical filter.
What is the ECLSS water recycling system?
The ECLSS Water Recycling System (WRS), developed at the MSFC, will reclaim waste waters from the Space Shuttle's fuel cells, from urine, from oral hygiene and hand washing, and by condensing humidity from the air.
What do spacefarers eat on the ISS?
Once on board the ISS, spacefarers are in for a steady diet of sponge baths using water distilled from -- among other places -- their crewmates breath! If you're squeamish, read no farther, because the crew will eventually include lab rodents -- and they'll be breathing, too.
How does the ISS water purification system work?
The water purification machines on the ISS will cleanse wastewater in a three-step process. The first step is a filter that removes particles and debris. Then the water passes through the "multi-filtration beds," which contain substances that remove organic and inorganic impurities.
How much water do astronauts use to wash their hands?
If you're an astronaut, you'll wet the wash cloth with a spray nozzle and then use the cloth to wash your hands.". On the space station, people will wash their hands with less than one-tenth the water that people typically use on Earth. Instead of consuming 50 liters to take a shower, which is typical on Earth, ...
Is there water on the space station?
Before recycling can begin, there has to be some water to start with. "We have plenty of water on the Space Station now," says Jim Reuter, leader of the ECLSS group at the Marshall Space Flight Center. "The Russian module Zarya is packed with contingency water containers (CWCs) that were carried over from the Space Shuttle during assembly missions ...
