Finally! Astronauts could drink their pee on space walks, thanks to clever new device

Venturing outside of the International Space Station (ISS) is challenging enough without having to worry about nature calling in the middle of your spacewalk — now, scientists say they've devised a new way to capture astronauts' pee and recycle it into drinkable water within minutes. 

For years, astronauts on spacewalks around the ISS have relieved themselves using a disposable diaper inside their spacesuit, known as a maximum absorbency garment (MAG). These garments, first designed in the early 1980s, collect and store urine, enabling astronauts to "go" on the go. But given spacewalks can sometimes take up to eight hours, MAGs can leave astronauts physically uncomfortable and at risk of skin irritation and infection. 

MAGs also don't recycle the water in urine, so while on their walk, astronauts must rely on a fixed supply of 0.2 gallons (0.95 liters) of water that they carry in an in-suit drink bag. 

But now, scientists think they have a solution to this problem: a new, lightweight system that can collect and purify around 1.69 fluid ounces (500 milliliters) of water from urine within a person's spacesuit and in just five minutes. 

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If implemented, the system would involve astronauts wearing an undergarment that's made from a flexible compression material and lined with antimicrobial fabric. The system also includes a humidity sensor that senses urine; the sensor sits within a silicone cup beneath the wearer's genitalia. 

The detection of pee switches on a vacuum pump that then draws the urine up into a filtration device carried on the astronaut's back. The filter measures about 15 inches (38 centimeters) tall and 9 inches (23 cm) wide. Within the 17.6-pound (8 kilogram) filtration device, urine would be transformed into fresh water that could subsequently be delivered into the spacesuit's drink bag.