New Water System That Could Aid Artemis Moon Astronauts Gets a Test on the ISS

 

A new water system that could help astronauts on future Artemis missions to the Moon is being tested on the International Space Station (ISS). The Brine Processor System (BPS) is designed to recover water from brine, which is the saltwater left over after water is recycled from wastewater.

 

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The BPS uses a process called membrane distillation to separate water from brine. The process involves heating the brine to a temperature just below its boiling point. This causes the water to evaporate, but not the salt. The steam is then condensed back into liquid water.

 

 

The BPS is still under development, but it has the potential to revolutionize water recycling on spacecraft. It could allow astronauts to recover more water from their wastewater and reduce the amount of water that needs to be launched from Earth.

 

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The BPS is currently being tested on the ISS as part of NASA's Technology Demonstration Missions (TDMs). TDMs are designed to test new technologies in space to see how they perform in real-world conditions.

 

If the BPS is successful on the ISS, it could be used on future Artemis missions to the Moon. Astronauts on these missions will need to be able to recycle as much water as possible, as they will be limited in the amount of water they can bring with them from Earth.

 

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Here are some of the benefits of the Brine Processor System:

• It can recover more water from wastewater than traditional water recycling systems.
• It is relatively simple to operate and maintain.
• It is energy-efficient.
• It is scalable to meet the needs of different spacecraft and missions.

The Brine Processor System is a promising new technology that could help astronauts on future missions to the Moon and beyond.