The sky-high-priced toilet in space - learn how to aim it to use it

What is this year?

As long as the word "space" is mentioned, the value of the property will double.

For example, the latest model of the International Space Station

Universal Waste Management System UWMS,

That's the toilet.

The research and development alone took more than six years and cost $23 million.

It is the most expensive toilet in history.

We have talked before about how astronauts eat and drink.

Let’s talk about Lazarus again today.

Friends who have watched the American TV series The Big Bang Theory may have an impression of this.

Howard Design Toilet Goes Wrong

This led to the astronauts spontaneously organizing a collective spacewalk.

So when it comes to survival, no matter how small the problem is, it cannot be ignored.

But the significance of space toilets goes far beyond this.

Note that the scientific name of the space toilet is

Universal waste disposal system,

This is not a trick.

It's a system, literally.

It is an important component of the space station.

We go to the toilet on the ground.

No matter whether it is runny or dry, just flush it away.

There is no concept of quantity.

People need to consume about 2500ml of water every day.

Drinking water accounts for half of it, and food accounts for 40%.

Balance income and expenditure.

In other words, we have to eliminate at least this much.

Otherwise, it would become a Pixiu.

Little by little, it adds up to a lot.

It’s not a small number.

On the other hand, the human body has more than 400 metabolites.

Including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide,

Hydrocarbons, acetone, benzene, aldehydes, etc.

In case of air circulation,

It will spread quickly and there won't be any problems.

But in the confined space of the space station,

Then it must be handled properly.

At the same time, each payload in space is very expensive.

The water and oxygen on the space station must not be discharged directly after they are used up.

All should be recycled as much as possible.

If astronauts live in space for one year,

That's about 700 liters of processed urine.

The urine recovery efficiency of this new toilet

There is a further improvement,

The proportion of water that can be converted into drinking water after treatment

Of course there has been an increase.

It can enable the International Space Station to achieve a 90% liquid recovery rate.

You don't have to feel awkward.

The breath you exhale on the ground

Isn't it also vomited out by someone else?

The water you drink also comes from various channels.

Did you drink it after purifying it?

Urea bioreactor electrochemical system

Efficiently converts urea in urine into ammonia,

The ammonia is then broken down into water and energy.

In fact, the water treated in this way

Cleaner than any water on earth.

So how do you use such an expensive toilet?

It must be different from squatting on the ground.

First, it uses airflow

Helps urine and feces drain from the body surface into appropriate containers.

After lifting the toilet lid, suction starts automatically.

Ensure that gas, liquid and solid, including odor, will not escape.

Use a specially shaped funnel and hose to collect urine.

The seat facilitates defecation.

Of course, in order to prevent the separation of people and barrels,

The astronauts have to be held down, ah, fixed.

Used toilet paper, wipes and gloves

Need to be thrown in a waterproof bag.

Solid waste in each waterproof bag

All of the feces will be pressed into a removable feces storage tank.

A few fecal storage tanks were sent back to Earth for research.

Most of it is loaded onto cargo ships.

They will burn up completely when they re-enter the atmosphere.

In order to be proficient in using the space toilet,

Specialized training is also required.

During bowel movements,

Astronauts must ensure their buttocks are close to the edge of the seat cushion.

Make the toilet completely sealed.

Also keep in mind

The relative position of the buttocks and the toilet seat.

In order to accurately aim at the center hole with a diameter of 10 cm.

Make sure the stool can be sucked away smoothly.

Instead of floating out from the gap in the toilet.

The new toilet is more ergonomic.

Easy to use, reducing cleaning and maintenance time.

Save time on flushing the toilet.

They are all real Taikongtianye.

Currently, the International Space Station is

Provide 2,200 liters of drinking water,

The transportation cost was as high as 22 million US dollars.

This is a low-Earth orbit only 400 kilometers above the earth.

If humans want to further explore interstellar space,

Water replenishment will be more difficult.

If the liquid recovery rate does not reach 98%,

Don't even think about flying to Mars.

To look like this,

This toilet is also a great value for money.

Source: China Digital Science and Technology Museum