The Habitation Module's waste management compartment will include a toilet, a urine collection system, and a facility for crewmembers to wash their hands. The toilet and urine collection systems will be similar to those onboard the Space Shuttle. They are designed to be as much as possible like those on Earth, but use flowing air instead of water to move waste through the system. Wastewater will be filtered through a system in the "floor" of the Hab Module and then recycled for reuse; Mir residents have been using a similar system for years, and they report that the reclaimed water is very clean and refreshing. The air in this compartment is filtered to remove odor and bacteria and then returned to the cabin. |