Space Station Crew Drinks Up To Recycled Urine

[wraggster]

After the astronauts on the International Space Station finished up their communications with Space Shuttle Atlantis yesterday, the crew on the Space Station did something that no other astronaut has ever done before — drank recycled urine and sweat. The previous shuttle crew that recently returned to Earth brought back samples of the recycled water to make sure it was safe to drink, and all tests came back fine. So on Wednesday, the crew took their recycled urine and said "cheers" together and toasted the researches and scientists that made the Urine Recycler possible. After drinking the water, they said the taste was great! They also said the water came with labels on it that said 'drink this when real water is over 200 miles away

http://science.slashdot.org/article..../05/21/1321248

[VampDude]

Haha, 200 miles away...

In space, real water is something like 5,000+ miles away.

[wraggster]

i dont think i would like the idea of drinking someones piss

[VampDude]

I think everyone has drank it, in some form or another. It's good that they have found a way to drink it in space (though I don't recall a water shortage?), but down here on Earth we have been drinking it in a more purified form for many years.

Next, they will probably be making table salt... That is something I wouldn't want to think about.

[pibs]

Things like these killed my childhood dreams of ever becoming an astronaut. That and all the challenging requirements

What's next in space? Poop pudding, semen cremé, yeah.. ill stop there before I vomit and they figure out how to turn it into thousand island dressing.

Oh NASA you cease to amaze me!

[mike_jmg]

That's just disgusting

But I guess that's the only way to preserve the water supply in space, good luck I'm not an astronaut

[masterchief929]

Wow, thats extremely gross. I know we do that down here on earth, but that seems more disgusting.

[Triv1um]

I drink my piss when it aint purefied. So what?

It's tasty. The acidic taste really gives it a kick.

[quzar]

Haha, 200 miles away...

In space, real water is something like 5,000+ miles away.

Actually the ISS is in a slightly fluctuating orbit from 199 to 220 miles away from earth. It seems a lot farther when it's straight up

[VampDude]

Actually the ISS is in a slightly fluctuating orbit from 199 to 220 miles away from earth. It seems a lot farther when it's straight up

True, but in space they go much further than the space station. Though as of recently (to my knowledge - somewhat lacking), I think there has only been International Space Station missions(?). But the moon is 238,855 miles from the Earth, according to Google.

Apparently when the first manned mission to Mars takes place in an estimated 22 years from now, the craft will be built in orbit (orbit of where I've forgotten) as it will be too heavy to take off from the earths atmosphere. Sounds kinda StarTrek-ish.