Technical Paper
Water Recovery and Management Test Support Modeling for Space Station Freedom
1990-07-01
901214
To date, almost all water used by the crew during space flight has been transported from Earth or generated in-flight as a by product of fuel cells and used for relatively short periods. With the United States' commitment to a permanent manned presence in space, this is no longer adequate. In order to resolve this problem, a plan for nearly complete recovery and recycling of water on-orbit has been formulated. Closed-loop water recovery on a scale applicable to a manned space station was first studied in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These tests, conducted with breadboard and early prototype equipment, demonstrated the feasibility of sustaining humans in a closed environment by a regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). However, increased awareness of potential hazards associated with long-term reuse of reclaimed water has resulted in the recognition that additional characterization of closed-loop water recovery systems and products is essential.