New Advanced Life Support System (LSS) for long-duration missions on the International Space Station (ISS) and Interplanetary Spacecraft

Abstract

Oxygen in the air and the water are vital for the smooth operation of the crews of the International Space Station and interplanetary spacecraft during long-term flights. Replenishing by the water, oxygen and micro algae biomass by delivering them to the International Space Station or to the interplanetary spacecraft is not economically viable. Therefore, the task arises of using and developing new systems that use the regeneration of oxygen, hydrogen, water from astronauts waste and the cultivation of rapidly multiplying microalgae on the International Space Station or interplanetary spacecraft itself. The use of biomass of microalgae solves the problem of utilization of carbon dioxide, formed during the life activity of astronauts, of replenishment of spacecraft atmosphere with oxygen, and of replenishment of nutrition of astronauts. The fundamental possibility of recovering life support for a person in a confined space has been experimentally confirmed in long-term ground tests. The author has developed a separator, tested during flight tests, for purification of fuel liquid or technical contaminated water from harmful solids or microbes in the tank with liquid fuel or technical contaminated water in order to maintain clean fuel liquid and maintain drinking water supplies, using the negative charged microdispersed hydrogen bubbles, formed during the process of electrolysis, and of action on them electrostatic force, aroused between electrodes, in conditions of microgravity. An oxygen and hydrogen generator has been developed that permits to economically and simply separately produce oxygen and hydrogen gases and use it on the International Space Station (ISS) or on an interplanetary spacecraft for long-term maintenance of the cabin atmosphere with oxygen and drinking water during a long flight, using the positive charged oxygen and negative charged hydrogen bubbles, formed in the process of electrolysis, and action on them electrostatic force, aroused between electrodes, in conditions of microgravity. A concentrator was also developed that produces a concentrate of rapidly reproducing microalgae in microgravity conditions for the utilization of carbon dioxide, emitted by astronauts, and of the production of oxygen and also of the addition of this concentrate as a high-calorie food supplement to the diet of the crew of the International Spacecraft Station or an interplanetary spacecraft in order to obtain a sufficient amount of oxygen, water and algae biomass concentrate for the performance of astronauts during a long space flight. Obtaining a concentrate of rapidly multiplying microalgae under microgravity conditions in a concentrator is carried out with the help of microdispersed negatively charged hydrogen bubbles, formed during electrolysis at the cathode, and an aqueous solution, saturated with them - catholyte, as well as the electrostatic force of attraction, arising between the electrodes. The article presents a new developed life support system (LLS) for an International Space Station (ISS) or an interplanetary spacecraft, which includes the previously developed ones: a separator for cleaning of fuel liquid and of obtaining drinking water by purifying fuel liquid and technical dirty water from solid harmful impurities or microbes, for restoring drinking water from the urine of astronauts in weightless conditions in sufficient quantities for the consumption of this water by astronauts during long-term space flights; a generator permitting to economically and simply separately produce oxygen, hydrogen and drinking water for replenishment of the cabin atmosphere by oxygen and drinking water of an International Space Station (ISS) or an interplanetary ship, and a concentrator connected to a space photo bioreactor that grows microalgae in weightlessness conditions, contributing to the utilization of carbon dioxide, released during the breathing of astronauts, and the production of oxygen to replenish of the oxygen reserves in the cabin atmosphere of International Space Station (ISS) or an interplanetary ship, permitting to obtain a concentrate of rapidly multiplying microalgae and the adding of this concentrate as a food additive to the crew's diet and replenishment of the space photo bioreactor with a part of the concentrate and purified nutrient solution in order to obtain enough biomass for a long flight.