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NASA's New Bag Turns Urine Into Sports Drink

Posted by samzenpus on from the I'm-afraid-that's-not-lemon-flavored-dave dept.

An anonymous reader writes "NASA's Atlantis shuttle is set to launch this Friday, and its crew will be testing an innovative device that can recycle human urine into a sugary sports drink. The bag uses forward osmosis technology and features a semi-permeable membrane capable of isolating water from virtually any liquid. Recycling urine in this way has a significant effect on a ship's payload, and considering that a single pound adds $10,000 of cost, that slight weight difference can translate to serious savings." CT: I'm at Kennedy Space Center now, tweeting as @cmdrtaco. And I think I'll stay away from the sports drink.

11 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Having tasted many sports drinks... by Kenja · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bet they could have gotten away with just a regular plastic bag.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    1. Re:Having tasted many sports drinks... by tripleevenfall · · Score: 4, Funny

      Urine idiot.

  2. Just in time! by JudgeFurious · · Score: 4, Funny

    We needed something to wash the "Turd Burger" down with!

    --
    Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
  3. Just ask Bear Grylls by Reverand+Dave · · Score: 5, Funny

    Piss was already a sports drink.

    --
    I got here through a series of tubes
    1. Re:Just ask Bear Grylls by Martin+Blank · · Score: 4, Informative

      Drinking urine when no other source of fluid is available is better than simply dehydrating and is better than drinking sea water. However, once dehydration has set in, drinking urine only compounds the issue. The body is already trying to get rid of sodium to maintain the proper balance, and drinking the urine just adds it back into the body. This leads to even more thirst as the body craves water to balance things out again.

      This is why Les Stroud built the urine still. The water was relatively clean and safer to drink, though you get diminishing returns if that's all you have. It may provide a holdover until you can find a better source of water.

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
  4. In related news:Nasa nixes asparagas from menu.... by bodland · · Score: 5, Funny

    It IS in you...

  5. Name it... by JoeTalbott · · Score: 4, Funny

    Tang 2.0

  6. It's got electrolytes... by goldspider · · Score: 4, Funny

    It has what astronauts crave!

    --
    "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
  7. New Advertising Slogan by tool462 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Gatorade. Was it in you?

  8. What about drugs/hormones? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    With the realization that effluent from sewage plants has detectable amounts of antidepressants, estrogen (from birth control pills), and other modern drugs which may be impacting river life, I'd really like to know that this membrane stops those (as well as "virtually any liquid"). I'd hate to spend a couple of months in space and find that I now had breasts due to water-transported hormones from the women on the crew...and that they'd grown muscles and body hair due to mine.

  9. Re:work with sea water? by Obfuscant · · Score: 4, Informative
    This technology isn't new. It's being used around the world already. The company's name is Hydration Technology, not SeaPack. SeaPack is the product name for that particular version intended for maritime use.

    They provide the same kind of devices for humanitarian purposes. There is at least one version for military use, and I was able to pick up a few of the early versions through a company contact.

    Here's the direct link: http://www.htiwater.com/