Do Astronauts Drink Their Pee?

TL;DR

Astronauts on the International Space Station drink their own urine after it is purified by the Water Recovery System.

Transcript

astronauts are a resourceful Bunch they're the best of the best of the best of the best they're ready to do whatever it takes to get the job done whatever it takes including drinking pee they live on the International Space Station for the better part of a year where air food and water are precious resources sometimes you have to take a hit for the... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🚀 Astronauts drink their own urine after it is purified by the Water Recovery System.
• 💦 Water conservation is essential on the International Space Station due to limited resources and high costs of transporting water from Earth.
• 💦 The Water Recovery System uses artificial gravity to separate contaminants from water vapor, sweat, and gray water.
• 💦 The system can recover approximately 93% of the water, with the remaining waste water flushed out with the trash.
• 😩 The cargo delivery spacecraft is used as a means to dispose of waste, including worn-out clothes, by detaching and re-entering Earth's atmosphere for incineration.
• 👨‍🚀 The Water Recovery System allows astronauts to have a sustainable source of drinkable water during their stay on the space station.
• 👨‍🚀 Astronauts acknowledge that drinking purified urine is a necessary step to conserve water and ensure their survival in space.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do astronauts need to conserve water on the International Space Station?

Water is a precious resource in space, and it is costly to transport it from Earth. Conserving water ensures that astronauts have enough for their needs during their stay on the ISS.

Q: How does the Water Recovery System work?

The system uses artificial gravity to create steam from water vapor, sweat, and gray water. The steam is collected and purified, while contaminants are pushed to the edges of the drum. Approximately 93% of the water can be recovered this way.

Q: What happens to the waste water that cannot be recovered?

The waste water builds up inside the space station and needs to be periodically flushed, along with the rest of the trash, when a cargo delivery spacecraft detaches from the station and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.

Q: Can astronauts also recycle other waste besides urine?

While urine recycling is the primary focus for water conservation, astronauts also wear their clothes until they are worn out and then dispose of them in the cargo delivery spacecraft before it is discarded.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Astronauts live on the International Space Station where resources like air, food, and water are limited, so water conservation is vital.

• In 2009, NASA launched the Water Recovery System to turn waste water, including urine, into drinkable water.

• The system uses artificial gravity to purify the water by separating contaminants, allowing astronauts to reuse their urine.