Recycling urine helps astronauts fly to Mars

Urine could become an important ingredient to help humans conquer the dream of Mars.

Astronaut in space. Photo: NASA.

PhDMark A. Blenner at Clemson University, USA inResearch presented in Washington, DC this week announced the transformation of astronaut urine into an important material for space exploration missions, Fast Company reported on August 22.

Human cIt is necessary to reuse and recycle all types of resources astronauts carry on board.If you want to fulfill your dream of conquering space in missions that could last for years. With your research team,Blenner, their goal is to recycle astronaut liquid waste.

Researchers are looking to turn molecules in astronauts' sweat and urine into plastic to make tools for spaceships.yeast called Yarrowia lipolytica cneed nitrogen and carbon to growwill support researchers in realizing this goal.

Combining nitrogen extracted from urine and carbon in human breath, the team used yeast to create polyester polymer, a plastic raw material for 3D printers to make all kinds of parts.Scientists are looking for ways to increase yields.Polyester is being produced on a small scale by yeast today.

NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been able to drink recycled urine for some time now. “Water is a precious resource here, so we purify it for drinking,” astronaut Peggy Whitson once told President Donald Trump. “And it’s not as bad as it sounds.”

According to VNE