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Real-life 'stillsuit': Dune-inspired upgrade for spacesuits allow astronauts to recycle urine into water (phys.org)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Astronauts on spacewalks famously have to relieve themselves inside their spacesuits. Not only is this uncomfortable for the wearer and unhygienic, it is also wasteful, as—unlike wastewater on board the International Space Station (ISS)—the water in urine from spacewalks is not recycled.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Good question but I guess it doesn't matter as much in space where you don't weigh as much.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

For the ISS it adds to the launch weight of suits and takes up additional space when using airlocks and in storage.
For a moon/mars mission (claimed use case in the article) it increases your center of mass and your inertia, resulting in more astronauts falling over.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

I doubt launch weight would be a huge issue.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Mass still costs energy to move around. Spacewalks already sound pretty strenuous. Adding any additional exertion seems like it would need a really good benefit to be worth the tradeoff.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Depends on the weight. It might be lighter and easier to work with than a collection unit and a water supply tank.