Nasa astronauts have taken a new and improved space toilet, worth $23 million, to the International Space Station.
The titanium toilet has a new design and shape and is meant to be more accommodating for women.
It is believed to be the most expensive toilet ever assembled, beating a $19m order made by Nasa in 2007.
A Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply mission lifted-off from Wallops Island in Virginia on Friday with the lavatory, also carrying other supplies such as commercial products, scientific experiments and new crop of vegetables.
Lightweight and efficient space toilet
The new toilet weighs 45 kilograms and is 65 per cent smaller than the current one on board the space station.
It is called the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) and has been designed strategically so it can be used for different spacecrafts and lift support missions – not just for the ISS.
Nasa is looking to use it on the Moon for the Artemis missions, as well as in future when astronauts are sent to Mars.
UWMS will feed pre-treated urine into a regenerative system, which recycles water for further use. Titanium was chosen so the toilet does not damage from the acid in the urine pre-treatment.
For short duration missions, it can also work with a system where is waste is not pre-treated with chemicals and is stored for disposal.
It has improved integration with other components of the space station’s water system, which will help in recycling more urine. Astronauts drink recycled urine and sweat after it is filtered and processed.
“We recycle about 90 per cent of all water-based liquids on the space station, including urine and sweat,” said Nasa astronaut Jessica Meir.
“What we try to do aboard the space station is mimic elements of Earth’s natural water cycle to reclaim water from the air. And when it comes to our urine on ISS – today’s coffee is tomorrow’s coffee.”
Fecal waste is not part of the new or old toilet’s water recovery process, however, Nasa is studying the possibility.
Female-friendly toilet
After feedback from astronauts, Nasa has made the toilets more accommodating to women.
The seat on the new toilet now tilts up and makes it taller. Its new shape will also help astronauts position themselves better for fecal waste.
Funnels for urine has been redesigned and are longer. Female astronauts can now use the funnel and seat to urinate and defecate simultaneously – a feature introduced after a popular request by the women.
How do space toilets work?
Waste is pulled away from the body through air flow. The new space toilet has an automatic start of air flow when the lid is lifted, also helping with odour control.
The new system also has foot restraints and handholds to keep astronauts from floating away.
Astronauts have access to toilet paper, wipes and gloves. All of these waste materials are disposed in water-tight bags, which are stored with the fecal matter. The canister holding the solid waste is loaded up in a cargo ship that burns up on re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere.
As Nasa looks to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars, reusability of water and resources has become critical.
Regular resupply missions are not an immediate possibility for journeys beyond low-Earth orbit.
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Green ambitions
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- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
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- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
