Freman’s outfit is finding its way into astronauts' daily lives. Scientists have created a spacesuit that filters urine and could be used by NASA.
A "stillsuit" is a full-body outfit worn by the Fremen of Arrakis in the sci-fi classic Dune. This suit is engineered to conserve body moisture by absorbing it, filtering out impurities, and allowing the wearer to drink purified water through a tube connected to the neck.
The concept of an alien race surviving in the desert of fantasy worlds has echoed in the scientific community. Mason Lab at Weill Cornell Medical College has developed an in-suit urine collection and filtration system to address astronauts' hygiene and hydration concerns.
The outfit prototype collects urine, purifies it, and can return it to the astronaut through a drinking tube within five minutes. Such a system would assist astronauts on long spacewalks.
Five minutes to filter urine
The proposed stillsuit system includes a molded silicone collection cup designed to fit around the genitalia, available in different shapes and sizes for men and women. This cup is integrated into an undergarment made of multiple layers of flexible fabric. The silicone cup connects to a moisture-activated vacuum pump that automatically turns on when the astronaut begins to urinate.
The urine is then directed to a filtration system that recycles it into water with an efficiency of 87%. This system uses osmosis to extract water from the urine and a pump to separate water from salt.
Collecting and purifying 500ml of urine takes only five minutes. Once purified, the water can be enriched with electrolytes and returned to the astronaut as an energy drink. The entire system measures 38cm by 23cm by 23cm and weighs approximately 8kg, making it compact and light enough to be carried on the back of a spacesuit.
Bathroom breaks in space is a nightmare
Although urine and sweat are already routinely recycled on the International Space Station (ISS), the creators emphasize that a similar system is necessary for astronauts during expeditions.
According to the research paper, published on July 12th in Frontiers journal, spacewalks are remarkably physically demanding, requiring high levels of muscular exertion and cardiovascular endurance, which causes astronauts to sweat profusely, increasing the probability of performance-impairing dehydration.
Astronauts currently carry one liter of water in their in-suit drink bags. To contain bodily waste, they wear the Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG). The MAG is an adult diaper that incorporates sodium polyacrylate, a superabsorbent polymer, enabling the garment to absorb and retain approximately 300 times its weight in fluid.
The MAG can hold two liters of urine, blood, and/or feces. Its stated purpose is to pull moisture away from the skin to maintain astronaut hygiene.
Despite its ability to absorb waste within the requirements, the MAG has a deleterious effect on astronaut health and comfort. Astronauts often eat reduced meals or follow a low-residue diet for several days in order to avoid using the MAG, which may reduce their performance during physically demanding spacewalks
The creators aim for the prototype to be used in NASA's Artemis program before 2030. The program is dedicated to learning how to live and work in another world for extended periods.
NASA is gearing up for the Artemis III mission in 2026, which plans to land a crew on the lunar south pole. The agency also has the ambitious goal of launching crewed missions to Mars by the 2030s.
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