【】
Four astronauts on the International Space Station can create over 2.5 tons of trash per year, but how to get rid of that garbage has been an ongoing struggle.
At the low-Earth orbiting laboratory, astronauts tested a new technology last week that could become a go-to solution for space waste disposal in the future. For the first time, the seven-member crew successfully used a Nanoracks Bishop airlock system to dump about 172 pounds of junk out of the station.
Prime Day deals you can shop right now
Products available for purchase here through affiliate links are selected by our merchandising team. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.iRobot Roomba Combo i3+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop—$329.99(List Price $599.99)
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet—$178.99(List Price $219.99)
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case—$189.99(List Price $249.00)
Eero 6 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (Router + 2 Extenders)—$149.99(List Price $199.99)
Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm, Midnight, S/M, Sports Band)—$299.00(List Price $399.00)
The technology leverages a specially designed container and removes the trash in a bag by sending it out to burn up in Earth's atmosphere. The method doesn't contribute to the growing space debris problem, NASA officials said.
Tweet may have been deletedSEE ALSO:A rocket will crash into the moon. It'll leave way more than a scar.
The status quo for collecting the astronauts' trash right now involves hoarding waste for months onboard until a commercial spacecraft can haul it away. The astronauts fill a designated cargo spacecraft with trash. Then, that entire spacecraft lands back on Earth or burns up on re-entry, according to NASA.
The demo shows the new system is "a good way to clean up our home in low-Earth orbit," said Kathy Lueders, NASA's associate administrator for space operations in a recent tweet.
Tweet may have been deleted
The ISS crew could, in theory, fill the Nanoracks' container with up to 600 pounds of trash, according to the company. Once the waste bag is released, the airlock re-mounts empty.
Trash takes up precious space in tight quarters and presents safety issues for astronauts. After all, some of that waste is biological.
Related Stories
- Stunning photo captures space station crossing the moon in jaw-dropping detail
- NASA didn't invent Velcro. But it did dream up these surprising things.
- Watch NASA's record-breaking astronaut return home on a Russian spacecraft
- Private astronaut brings an item of mythic proportions to space station
- Astronaut Barbie finally — literally — goes to outer space
The U.S. space agency has been looking for alternate solutions to manage trash, especially because the spacecraft disposal method won't be an option for long, distant missions to the moon and, eventually, Mars.
Tweet may have been deleted
“Waste collection in space has been a long standing, yet not as publicly discussed, challenge aboard the ISS,” said Cooper Read, Bishop Airlock program manager at Nanoracks, in a company news release. “As we move into a time with more people living and working in space, this is a critical function just like it is for everyone at home.”
The load dumped during the demo included foam, packing materials, cargo transfer bags, dirty astronaut clothes, hygiene products and office supply waste, according to Nanoracks.
TopicsNASA
相关文章
Olympian celebrates by ordering an intimidating amount of McDonald's
It's no secret that Olympians have to eat clean for years to ensure they're at peak physical conditi2024-11-21- 曝大連人球員教練賽後毆打裁判 媒體人:情節惡劣(gif)_大連隊_李璿_附加賽www.ty42.com 日期:2022-01-09 14:10:00| 評論(已有324469條評論)2024-11-21