Astronauts Install Water Recycler On Space Station
Date: 20-Nov-08
Country: US
Author: Irene Klotz
The work is part of a final effort to complete the $100 billion orbital complex, a project involving 16 nations, by 2010 when the space shuttles are to be retired.
For 10 years, NASA's shuttle fleet has provided bulk delivery, construction and repair services for the space station with regular visits by seven-member crews and a cargo hold that can tote 50,000 pounds (22,680 kg) to and from orbit.
The shuttle also has provided nearly all of the water needed to support the station's three live-aboard crewmembers.
The shuttle's electrical system makes water as a byproduct. That water is bagged and transferred to the station.
Next year, NASA and its international partners plan to double the station's crew size to six, making water recycling important.
The new system takes urine, condensation from the air and other wastewater and turns it into drinking water.
The space station crew, which now includes astronaut Sandra Magnus, are nearly a day ahead of schedule with the renovations and upgrades planned during shuttle Endeavour's 11-day stay.
"It's been great going inside," said station flight director Ginger Kerrick.
The first samples of urine may be processed through the system as early as Thursday. NASA hopes to return samples with the shuttle for analysis on Earth.
The system needs to be operating for 90 days before the station crew will be cleared to start drinking the processed water.
Astronauts on Wednesday also installed two small sleeping compartments in the space station's Harmony node. Two more berths are scheduled to be delivered on shuttle flights in July 2009 and February 2010.
Spacewalkers Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Stephen Bowen and Shane Kimbrough prepared equipment for the second of four spacewalks slated during Endeavour's mission.
Stefanyshyn-Piper and Bowen completed the first outing on Tuesday, despite the loss of a bag of tools that floated off into space.
The spacewalks are needed to clean up and lubricate a joint in the station's truss that pivot solar wing panels to face the sun for power. One joint is contaminated with metal filings.
NASA also wants the crew to do some preventive maintenance on the station's second rotary joint.
Endeavour blasted off on Friday for a 15-day mission. NASA late Tuesday said the shuttle's heat shield came through launch well and the ship was safe to return to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Nov. 29.
NASA plans nine more missions, including a servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope, before the space shuttles are retired by Sept. 30, 2010.
(Editing by Jim Loney and Eric Walsh)