Air Revitalization for Vacuum Environments

About this technology

Overview

NASA has developed a lightweight atmosphere revitalization system to support short-duration human space flights. Air revitalization is a critical component of manned space flights since passenger-carrying vehicles require a way to control humidity and process metabolic carbon dioxide to sustain an environment that can support human life. For long-duration flights, metabolic water from respiration and evaporated sweat are typically treated and reclaimed, requiring extra equipment such as gas/liquid separators and condensing heat exchangers. To minimize equipment and reduce excess loads, NASA developed an adsorption-based carbon dioxide scrubber and water removal system for disposal in vacuum environments, ultimately reducing mass, power, and volume requirements. The lightweight, low-mass system is also regenerable, flexible, and can be arranged into different spatial configurations.