Thursday, August 24, 2017

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT? NASA repurposes Urine / wastes for mission to Mars.


Actually a cooler idea than drinking the urine, NASA is currently funding research that has a whole host of ideas about what else you can do with urine, and it’s really cool! 

 

Human urine & the carbon dioxide that is exhaled, both waste that needs to be cycled into something, can be used for several things. Nutritional supplements for a long trip to Mars? Makes sense. What? Tools and plastic parts? And remember, they will already have the 3D printer necessary to bring out their inner Picasso or Tim the tool man from Home Improvement. 

 

Apparently there are some important yeast strains of which there are many by-products that are healthy. One is found in fish, nuts, leafy greens – its name, Omega – 3 fatty acid. What does it do? It fends off heart disease, arthritis, lower blood pressure, help to prevent stroke and more.

 

The funny thing, the human body can make most of the fats it needs from raw materials, but not omega-3 fatty acids. And, omega-3 is essential! Also, it is not as if the astronaut meals will be salmon or other fish, maybe walnuts or flaxseeds, and leafy vegetables.

 

Apparently Mark Brenner (assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering) of Clemson University says that if this research continues as expected, an important aspect of NASA’s ‘Journey to Mars’ just could be mingling hibernating yeast with the nitrogen in their pee and the carbon in their breath.

 

The concept is awesome – and actually, should it all work in the end, may solve other unknowns/problems. But you are probably looking for some details, maybe get walked through what it might be like…

 

OK – your 4 month’s into your trip to Mars. Your individual alarm on your wrist goes off. It is a reminder to take your daily meds. You take them – one of which was fashioned out of a process that…well, that’s actually next. You’ve taken your morning supplements, now you must get on with the rest of your day.

You go to the area where to cynobacteria is maintained in a vat of sorts. There the cynobacteria feeds on Carbon Dioxide and then releases sugars. Next you take that mixture and add it to urea (urine by-product) in a separate container. Your part is done.

 

The yeast will grow as they feed, creating omega-3 fatty acids. You could just go ahead and eat that, but likely it will be dried and formed into a pill for easy swallowing. 

In vat two, of the yeast are forming and accumulating the polyester polymers. It is these granules, that the yeast creates, which can be easily turned into the ‘ink’ for a 3D printer and used to print whatever tool or screw or other device is needed.

 

Keep in mind – not only is this for space. This also then becomes transferable to 3rd world nations, military outposts, anywhere that needs to create something out of nothing.

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