Cornell University scientists are developing a real-world version of the “steel suit” featured in adaptations of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic Dune that could be used by future astronauts as they embark on missions to the International Space Station, the moon and beyond.
In order to live on the brutally dry world of Arrakis, the people inhabiting Herbert’s fictional desert world were forced to develop specialized clothing designed to capture and recycle every drop of body moisture for reuse. These “style suits” prevent moisture loss while filtering the body’s sweat and urine to provide potable water that will allow the people of the Free to thrive under the harsh glare of Arrakis’ star.
Scientists are now trying to use similar technology to improve the lives of astronauts embarking on grueling spacewalks to the outer shell of the International Space Station (ISS) and potentially on future missions to the surface of the Moon and Mars.
The impracticality and staggering cost of delivering fresh water to the ISS led to equipping the orbital outpost with a life support system that recycles 98% of the crew’s waste water. However, during spacewalks, astronauts have no choice but to relieve themselves in high-tech adult diapers known as maximum absorbency garments (MAGs), which are worn between the suit and the crew member’s bare skin.
As you can imagine, this has the potential to be quite an unpleasant experience, both in terms of hygiene and comfort, especially given the length of your average spacewalk and the reality that space diapers aren’t always perfect at performing their jobs.
“MAG has reportedly leaked and caused health problems such as urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal problems,” said Sophia Etlin, a researcher at Cornell University who was first author of the study describing the invention. “Also, astronauts currently only have one liter of water in their in-suit beverage pouches. This is insufficient for planned longer-duration lunar spacewalks, which could last ten hours and even up to 24 hours in an emergency.
Cornell’s proposed solution would have NASA and its partners move to a more elegant approach to microgravity bathroom time, in which waste urine is sucked out of a molded silicone “collection cup” placed around the genitalia using a vacuum pump activated by moisture. “I’ve been a fan of the Dune series for as long as I can remember,” Etlin explained in an interview with Science News. “Building a still life in real life has always been a bit of a dream.”
The water is then sent to an eightkg filtration backpack, which uses osmosis to purify the liquid, removing uric acid, ammonia, calcium and urea, before enriching it with electrolytes, and sending it back into the suit’s water supply. Delicious. According to the project, published in the journal Frontiers in Space Technologies, the system will be able to purify 500 ml in about five minutes, while using less than ten percent of the spacesuit’s energy.
Is the concept as elegant as the costume worn by Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation of Dune: Part Two? No, but it sure sounds more appealing than the current generation of absorbent astro pants used by the ISS crew today. The team aims to test a prototype of its “stillsuit” system on Earth in a simulated microgravity environment before an astronaut dons the experimental technology for a real-world test drive at some point in the future.
For more space news, why not read up on NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon as part of its Artemis program, or find out about SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight, which sees the rocket’s massive booster power down into the Gulf of Mexico.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video game news for IGN. He has over eight years of experience covering groundbreaking developments in multiple scientific fields and has absolutely no time for your antics. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
