Scientists at Cornell University are developing a real-world version of Frank Herbert’s adaptation of the science-fiction epic, which could be used by future astronauts as they embark on missions to the International Space Station, the moon, etc. after.
In order to survive on the brutally arid world of Arrakis, the humans who inhabited Herbert’s fictional desert world had to develop specialized clothing designed to capture and recycle every drop of body moisture for reuse. These ‘still coats’ prevented moisture loss, while filtering sweat and urine from their bodies to supply drinking water, allowing the Fremen people to thrive under the harsh glow of the star Arrakis.
Now scientists are trying to use similar technology to improve the lives of astronauts embarking on the arduous space walk to the outer hull of the International Space Station (ISS), and potentially, on future missions to the surface of the moon, and Mars.
The impracticality and staggering cost of sending fresh water to the ISS has led to the outer orbital base being equipped with a life support system that recycles 98% of the crew’s wastewater. . . . However, during the walk to space they have no choice but to dress themselves in high-tech adult diapers known as maximum absorbency garments (MAG), which are worn between the suit and the crew member’s bare skin.
As you can imagine, this has the potential to be a very unpleasant experience, both in terms of hygiene and comfort, especially considering the length of your average space walk, and the fact that space diapers aren’t always perfect at doing their job chance work.
“MAG is said to have leaked and caused health problems such as urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal distress,” said Sophia Etlin, a research member at Cornell University who served as first author of the study detailing the invention. “In addition, sailors currently only have one liter of water in their drinking bags. This is not enough for planned, long-duration lunar flights, which can take ten hours and even up to 24 hours in an emergency,” he said.
Cornell’s proposed solution would see NASA and its partners switch to a more elegant approach to microgravity bath time, in which waste urine is sucked out of a molded silicone ‘collection cup’ placed around the genitals using a moisture-activated vacuum pump. “I’ve been a fan of the Dune series for as long as I can remember,” Etlin explained in an interview with Science News. “Building a real-life stillsuit was always a bit of a dream.”
The water is then sent to an eight-pound filtration backpack that uses osmosis to purify the fluid, removing uric acid, ammonia, calcium and urea before being enriched with electrolytes and sending it back into the suit water. delicious. According to the design published in Frontiers in Space Technologies , the system will be able to clean 500 ml in about five minutes, while using less than ten percent of the space suit’s energy.
Is the concept as original as the stillsuit worn by Paul Atraides in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune: Part Two ? No, but it certainly sounds more interesting than the current generation of absorbent asteroid pants used today by the ISS crew. The team is looking to test a prototype of their ‘Stillsuit’ system on the ground in a microgravity environment, before a sailor wears the experimental technology for a real-world test at some point in the future.
For more space tips why not read about NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon as part of the Artemis program, or find out about SpaceX’s latest starship test flight, which saw the rocket’s giant booster in the Gulf of… Mexico.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video game news for IGN. He has over eight years of experience covering breakthrough breakthroughs in a variety of scientific fields and has absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
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