NASA, the International Space Station to install a new "toilet" (water-processing equipment) as a result of failure to be shut down. It is reported that the value of 154,000,000 U.S. dollars of the "toilet" will bear the astronauts to deal with sweat and urine into drinking water passing an important task. Now, the ground control personnel are stepping up efforts to find time in the end is where there have been failures.
Very much hope that the parties concerned in the "Endeavor" space shuttle return, these machines can be brought back to the production of "drinking water in space", on the ground in order to test its ability to drink in the end. If the toilet can not be successfully completed, will have a direct impact on the international space station next year's expansion project.
At least for now, the astronauts for the time being not to drink their own urine into drinking water purification.
Space experts said that many test results on the ground all the normal equipment into space after the emergence of a wide range of regular fault. As a result, the "space toilet" problems are not uncommon. It is said that the astronauts said that they would not refuse to drink urine-treated, and even NASA hopes that the success of the experiment in space toilet, may also be extended to the use of the ground.
Relevant data show that this equipment can be astronauts on the emission of urine at other stations as well as sewage recycling and purification to be available for the astronauts to drink clean water. This expansion of the space station personnel to 6 people and a long run of important practical significance. At present, only the International Space Station to install a toilet on board the Russian experiment.
Four-week evening, the astronauts completed the spacewalk, the start of the toilet, but will soon be closed. Friday morning, two hours after the start again, the report said power sensor system failure, the astronauts had to be shut down again. Ground control said that if only because of sensor failure caused by "false", then do not have to carry out maintenance work.
"Endeavor" space shuttle command chief said that they had intended to return Thanksgiving Day when the earth. However, once the ground control personnel to repair toilets, processing and a "sample", the unit can stay on the space station a day. It is reported that if the "Endeavor" can not be brought back to the "water space", can only be launched in February next year, and so on the space shuttle back to the test.
In the past, space station astronaut's drinking water comes from a U.S. space shuttle or the Russian cargo spacecraft delivery. However, the U.S. space shuttle to active duty 3 collective retired in 2010 from now until they retired, no longer able to fly to the space station up to 9 times in the reduced capacity, how to stand on the staff complement will be a major drinking water问题.
This set of equipment in the water cycle and put into service, be able to deal with every day about 23 liters of wastewater, in addition to the astronauts urine, the moisture in the air, and so on can be fully utilized, so that the space station on the recovery of waste water utilization reached about 92% . After tasting the researchers said that apart from a slight taste of iodine, purified urine of astronauts and refreshing taste like ordinary drinking water.
These treated water purification after distillation, filtration, oxidation, ionization and a series of purification procedures, types of organic ingredients and floating debris were basically cleared away, in particular the last step further by adding iodine to control micro-organisms in the water And therefore can be completely at ease drinking. This equipment can be the International Space Station within a day of wastewater generated in less than 24 hours disposed of.
Earlier, the astronauts sweat, toothbrushes, mouthwash and the drop of condensation of water vapor inside the space station have been fully utilized, and success has become astronauts into drinking water, urine, but it has been used as a waste to throw Out. If the "urine processor" to the normal operation of long-term, is bound to human activities in space voyage is more reliable source of drinking water.
NASA stressed that urine into water quality than ordinary tap water, "Endeavor" was launched, the ground control personnel have been treated for drinking the urine, water and claimed that this "world-class components . " These new "space toilet and urine processor" will be installed on the International Space Station's laboratories in the United States.
In addition to the "toilet renovation", the 22 astronauts also carried out up to 7 hours of the spacewalk, space station for the solar panels of the mechanical parts refueling care, in order to ensure that their activities with ease, always at the direction of the sun to collect energy .
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