NASA Achieves Water Recovery Milestone on International Space Station - NASA Search ## Suggested Searches Melissa L. Gaskill International Space Station Research Communications Team Jun 20, 2023 Article - Share on X. - Share on Facebook. - Share on LinkedIn. - Link to RSS Feed. ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer changes out the bladder in the space station’s Brine Processor Assembly. Credits: NASA For space missions that venture beyond low Earth orbit, new challenges include how to provide basic needs for crew members without resupply missions from the ground. NASA is developing life support systems that can regenerate or recycle consumables such as food, air, and water and is testing them on the International Space Station. Ideally, life support systems need to recover close to 98% of the water that crews bring along at the start of a long journey. The space station’s Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) recently demonstrated that it can achieve that significant goal. ECLSS is a combination of hardware that includes a Water Recovery System. This system collects wastewater and sends it to the Water Processor Assembly (WPA), which prod

ottle of water to the ceiling, which connected to a hose and showerhead. The astronauts then pulled a fireproof, cylinder-shaped shower wall up from the floor and attached it to the ceiling. Then it was shower time! They lathered liquid soap all over themselves and sprayed water through the push-button showerhead. Then they had to suction up suds and water into a collection bin; wayward water could pose a hazard to the electronics and instruments on the space station. NASA strictly rationed water and liquid soap on Skylab — a New York Times article said each astronaut was given approximately six pints of water per shower. From start to finish, a shower on Skylab took over two hours on average. Some astronauts thought the process was inconvenient. Others liked having the comforts of Earth while in space. The first astronaut to use the shower, Paul Weitz, reported, "It took a fair amount longer to use than you might expect, but you came out smelling good." Showering on the Shuttle and International Space Station On the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS), astronauts went back to the “old-fashioned” way of bathing in space. On the ISS, astronauts do not shower but rather use liquid soap, water, and rinseless shampoo. They squeeze liquid soap and water from pouches onto their skin. Then they use rinseless soap with a little water to clean their hair. They use towels to wipe off the excess water. An airflow system nearby quickly evaporates excess water. ( See this video of astronaut Karen Nyberg washing her hair in space.) Astronaut Karen Nyberg demonstrates how to wash your hair in space aboard the International Space Station. Image: NASA How do they always have enough water to shower? Because not a drop is wasted. The water on the ISS is constantly being recycled. Water sources — like a crewmembers’ breath moisture or even their urine — is purified through a filter, so it can be used over and over again. Having astronauts sponge bathe is not only simple

ESA - Water in space Did you know that up to 80% of the water on the International Space Station is recycled? Astronauts living and working 400 km above our planet might prefer not to think about it, but the water they drink is recycled from their colleague’s sweat and exhaled breath – collected as condensation on the Space Station’s walls. Water is precious on Earth but even more so in space where all drinkable water must be transported from home or recycled. As water is a dense and heavy substance it takes a lot of energy to propel it into space – there is only so much a rocket can carry so the less water we send, the more scientific equipment can be sent in its place. This is one of the reasons why there is no shower on the International Space Station – astronauts wash themselves only with wet-wipes for six months! Astronauts in space often list fresh fruit and a shower as the things they miss most from Earth. As we explore further from our home planet providing water and food to astronauts will become more and more challenging so just like on Earth reduce, reuse, and recycle is the mantra for off-world explorers and their space agencies. For over thirty years the European S

ESA - Water Recovery System Racks The Water Recovery System racks use a series of chemical processes and filters to treat the astronauts’ urine, perspiration and hygiene water, recycling about 93% of the liquid it receives to provide water clean enough to drink. Water is recovered from urine in the Urine Processor Assembly by spinning up a keg-sized distiller to create artificial gravity. Contaminants press against the side of the distiller while steam in the middle is pumped out. Water from the urine processor is combined with all other wastewaters and delivered to the Water Processor Assembly for treatment. The water processor removes free gas and solid materials such as hair and lint, before the water goes through a series of multifiltration beds for further purification. Any remaining organic contaminants and micro-organisms are removed by a high-temperature catalytic reactor assembly. This rigorous treatment creates water that meets stringent purity standards for human consumption. The purity is checked by sensors, with unacceptable water being reprocessed, and clean water being sent to a storage tank ready for use by the crew. The Water Recovery System reduces the amount o