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If you’ve seen the original iconic sci-fi flick Dune, or even the recent remake starring heartthrob Timothée Chalamet, you’ll know that the concept of a urine-processing space suit is not necessarily a new one.

Inspired by the spacesuit concept from the story, scientists are now turning sci-fi into reality.

Researchers at Cornell University have just designed a full-body spacesuit capable of recycling the wearer’s urine. For what, you may ask? Well, to drink, of course!

Before you get the ‘ick’, it’s important to know that this new suit would be a massive improvement to the glorified nappies that astronauts have been wearing over the last few decades for lengthy spacewalks.

The innovative suit, which is still in the testing phase, promises to revolutionise space exploration, allowing astronauts to stay hydrated and extend their missions without the discomfort and waste associated with current options (i.e. big stinky space diapers).

The ‘astronaut ablutions’ issue during lengthy spacewalks has long been a source of discomfort and contention for astronauts. At the moment, space explorers are equipped with the Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG) for these missions, an option that is both unhygienic and uncomfortable, and, unfortunately, the only current option. Props to the astronautical people for trying to give the space nappy a cool-sounding acronym, but that sadly does not do much for the actual wearer.

Currently, Wastewater on the International Space Station (ISS) can be recycled, but urine produced during spacewalks cannot, so scientists see pee-recycling in space as the next logical step.

Drawing inspiration from the stillsuits in Dune, which recycle sweat and urine to keep wearers hydrated in harsh desert conditions, researchers at Cornell have developed a prototype urine-collecting filtration system for spacesuits. This system includes a vacuum-based external catheter connected to a forward-reverse osmosis unit, continuously providing potable water with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure astronaut wellbeing. Essentially, the urine is processed carefully enough that the wearer can subsequently drink the recycled liquid.

The innovative filtration system, boasting an 87% efficiency, operates through a two-step integrated and reverse osmosis process. It uses a concentration gradient to remove water from the waste and a pump to separate the water from salt. The purified water is then enriched with electrolytes and pumped into a drink bag within the suit, kind of like a mutant Energade.

This scientific breakthrough couldn’t have been better timed, as NASA prepares for the Artemis II and III missions in 2025 and 2026, which will orbit and land near the Moon’s south pole, respectively.

According to Sofia Etlin, one of the researchers from Cornell who has been indispensable in the new suit’s design, the new system will be leaps ahead of the current MAG ablution system.

“The MAG has reportedly leaked and caused health issues such as urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal distress. Astronauts have also requested improvements in the time needed to fill and de-gas the in-suit drink bags and asked for a separate supply of non-caffeinated high-energy drink.”

The prototype suit system, weighing approximately 8 kilograms and featuring integrated control pumps, sensors, and a liquid-crystal display screen, is now ready for testing in simulated microgravity conditions.

“Our system can be tested in simulated microgravity conditions, as microgravity is the primary space factor we must account for,” explained Dr. Christopher E. Mason, professor at Weill Cornell Medicine and lead author of the study.

“These tests will ensure the system’s functionality and safety before it is deployed in actual space missions.”

By transforming a sci-fi concept into a tangible solution, the Cornell team has not only paid homage to the importance of storytelling and imagination for the future of science but has also paved the way for more efficient and comfortable space travel in general.

Sometimes the seemingly strange ideas are the best ones. To infini-pee and beyond!

[source:iflscience]