Scientists have developed a prototype of a next-generation spacesuit that will allow astronauts to stay in space longer. This suit will be a great advantage for long walks on the lunar surface during the Artemis missions. This suit, developed under the leadership of Sofia Etlin, a research assistant from Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University, has caused great excitement in the scientific world.
A strange and revolutionary feature in a spacesuit: Urine
The next-generation spacesuit aims to improve the comfort and safety of astronauts on away missions. The suit contains a forward-reverse osmosis unit coupled through an external vacuum-based catheter and protects astronauts’ health by continuously providing drinkable water. Etlin says that this new design will meet astronauts’ need for more water on long-duration missions.
On missions outside the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts often have to delay their toilet needs for seven hours. The maximum absorbent garment (MAG) used in current suits can cause discomfort and hygiene problems. Etlin pointed out that MAG leaks and causes health problems, and stated that the new suit aims to eliminate these problems.
The newly designed garment includes underwear made of a multi-layered stretch fabric that connects to collection containers of different shapes and sizes for men and women. Urine is directed to a battery-powered urine filtration system in the backpack and recycled through a two-stage osmosis filtration system with 87% efficiency. This system enriches purified water with electrolytes and pumps it into the garment’s drinking water bag, taking just five minutes to collect and purify 500 milliliters of urine.
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The new suit is ready for testing under simulated conditions and is planned to be tested on real spacewalks. Astronauts on the ISS already drink water recycled from urine, so integrating this technology into the spacesuit is a logical step.
NASA plans to land two astronauts on the Moon in 2026 as part of the Artemis III mission. This mission is a prelude to long-term exploration missions on the lunar surface. In the future, NASA aims to establish a permanent base on the Moon for astronauts to conduct large-scale research. The new spacesuit will be vital for such long-term missions, ensuring the comfort and safety of astronauts.
