PR21_Integrated_Photonic_Spectrometer_STTR_16

The goal of this project was to design silicon photonic components for a microchip-scale spectrometer. Future earth science and space missions may benefit from spectroscopic measurements made using compact, energy efficient and inexpensive instruments.

Water Recovery from Bioreactor Mixed Liquors Using Forward Osmosis with Polyelectrolyte Draw Solutions

This paper reports on the use of forward osmosis (FO) with polyelectrolyte draw solutions to recover water from bioreactor mixed liquors. The work was motivated by the need for new regenerative water purification technologies to enable long-duration space missions. Osmotic membrane bioreactors may be an option for water and nutrient recovery in space if they can attain high water flux and reverse solute flux selectivity (RSFS), which quantifies the mass of permeated water per mass of draw solute that has diffused from the draw solution into a bioreactor. Water flux was measured in a direct flow system using wastewater from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and draw solutions prepared with two polyelectrolytes at different concentrations. The direct flow tests displayed a high initial flux (>10 L/m2/h) that decreased rapidly as solids accumulated on the feed side of the membrane. A test with deionized water as the feed revealed a small mass of polyelectrolyte crossover from the draw solution to the feed, yielding an RSFS of 80. Crossflow filtration experiments demonstrated that steady state flux above 2 L/m2·h could be maintained for 70 h following an initial flux decline due to the formation of a foulant cake layer. This study established that FO could be feasible for regenerative water purification from bioreactors. By utilizing a polyelectrolyte draw solute with high RSFS, we expect to overcome the need for draw solute replenishment. This would be a major step towards sustainable operation in long-duration space missions.

USE OF METHANE IN CLOSED-LOOP LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR SPACE MISSIONS

The paper discusses the use of methane (generated in the process of oxygen recovery from carbon dioxide released by the crew during its hydrogenation in the Sabatier reaction, with subsequent extraction of 61% of oxygen through electrolysis of the resultant water) in a regenerative life support system for crews on space missions. It demonstrates that the methane resulting from Sabatier reaction can be used both for pyrolysis in order to return the resulting hydrogen into this reaction so as to extract 100% of oxygen from carbon dioxide, and for producing food protein for life support in space. The use of methane pyrolysis was enabled by new technologies which allowed lowering the process temperature down to 500–700°C and obtaining the easy-to-remove carbon. It provides recommendations for designing space systems for methane pyrolysis. The paper makes the case for use of the existing processes for industrial production of protein from methane using methanotrophic bacteria in the production of food protein for space food rations, determines the balance of a closed-loop methanotrophic reaction, provides calculation basis and recommendations for designing space systems for methanotrophic production of food protein. Development of a system for food protein production from methane will enable its use as one of the systems for providing food on the Moon and Mars, as well as a backup system in space transportation missions. Key words: space missions, crew life support, СО2 hydration, methane pyrolysis, methanotrophic bacteria, food protein.

Robot-assisted surgery in space: pros and cons. A review from the surgeon’s point of view

The target of human flight in space has changed from permanence on the International Space Station to missions beyond low earth orbit and the Lunar Gateway for deep space exploration and Missions to Mars. Several conditions affecting space missions had to be considered: for example the effect of weightlessness and radiations on the human body, behavioral health decrements or communication latency, and consumable resupply. Telemedicine and telerobotic applications, robot-assisted surgery with some hints on experimental surgical procedures carried out in previous missions, had to be considered as well. The need for greater crew autonomy in health issues is related to the increasing severity of medical and surgical interventions that could occur in these missions, and the presence of a highly trained surgeon on board would be recommended. A surgical robot could be a valuable aid but only inasfar as it is provided with multiple functions, including the capability to perform certain procedures autonomously. Space missions in deep space or on other planets present new challenges for crew health. Providing a multi-function surgical robot is the new frontier. Research in this field shall be paving the way for the development of new structured plans for human health in space, as well as providing new suggestions for clinical applications on Earth.