NASA astronauts drink recycled urine in space station

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhuanet) -- "Cheers," shouted NASA astronauts aboard the sapce satation Wednesday when drinking water that had been recycled from their urine.

NASA made another first in space by using the recycling system to produce "tasteful" water from astronauts' urine, sweat and water that condenses from exhaled air.(File photo)

NASA made another first in space by using the recycling system to produce "tasteful" water from astronauts' urine, sweat and water that condenses from exhaled air.

"The taste is great," American astronaut Michael Barratt said.

NASA deputy space shuttle manager LeRoy Cain called it "a huge milestone."

The urine recycling system is needed for astronaut outposts on the moon and Mars. It also will save NASA from shipping up as much water to the space station.

The recycling system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the vapor collected. The rest of contaminants — the yucky brine in the urine — is thrown away, said Marybeth Edeen, the space station's national lab manager who was in charge of the system.

The water vapor is mixed with water from air condensation, then it goes through filters, much like those put on home taps, Edeen said.

When six crew members are aboard it can make about six gallons(about 23 liters) from urine in about six hours, Edeen said.

Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on Earth, but with a lot longer time between urine and tap, Edeen said. In space, it takes about a week.