Hey, so did you guys know that NASA is working on installing equipment on the International Space Station that would be able to convert urine into drinkable water? The space shuttle Endeavor delivered the $154 million dollar (Do I still have to write “dollar” even though I put the dollar sign? It seems redundant, but it makes more sense while writing it out.) piece of equipment to the station last week. Essentially its just a large centrifuge that spins at incredible speeds to separate the urine from the water. Yum! I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not crazy about the idea of drinking water made from urine. But being able to do so increases your chances of having longer manned shuttle missions or even being able set up self-sustaining Lunar or even Martian stations. So I guess the benefits outweigh the grossness factor, but only slightly. Anyway, NASA is very excited about this and while the Astronauts aren’t hesitant about drinking the water, they find the dispensing system, which I’ve posted a picture of after the jump, questionable:
Thanks John!
Delicious! Converting Urine to Water
Filed under Random
Ah, the Mannekin Pis. When I saw him he was dressed up in a little raincoat, pants (with the fly open, of course), and rain hat. And I’m not sure why you’re so squeamish. A lot of the water you drink is filtered even less thoroughly, and from worse sources, than urine. I guess ignorance is bliss!
No, you don’t need to write “dollar.” According to the Chicago Manual of Style (my general proofreading bible), if you’re using numerals, you use the symbols, and if you’re spelling out the numbers (completely), you spell out “dollars” or “cents”
Although there is some debate about whether you need to write “$154-million dollar piece of equipment” or “$154 million dollar piece of equipment.” The British prefer the former, while Americans tend toward the latter.
As for those astronauts – kinky diapers and now water sports… it must be strange to be an astronaut.
Shoot. Make that “$154-million piece of equipment†or “$154 million piece of equipment.â€
Also, ignore the lack of punctuation at the end of the first paragraph. I really do know what I’m talking about, despite evidence to the contrary.
Ummm, eww. I’m going to go with Ignorance is Bliss.
Well, as long as I didn’t think about it I guess. As Joel said, I know the water in my tap comes from our river which is probably full of urine before processing (raw sewage is regularly dumped) and I just try not to think about it. And in space you can’t be too fussy. Its not like you can go and dig a well somewhere. Drink urine water or die. I’d drink it, with some Crystal Light in it to distract me though.
For some odd reason, this reminds me of Madge and the old tv adverts for Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid. “You know… you’re soaking in it.”
Tom Lehrer’s “Pollution” also seems apropros: “The breakfast garbage that they throw out in Troy… they drink at lunch in Perth Amboy”
“No no, Major Tom… we’re pretty sure that’s just motion sickness you’re experiencing…”
Yeah, considering that the role of sewage treatment plants is to clean the crap (literally) out of waste and then release it back into our water supply, I’m not sure why you’re grossed out. The water produced in the space station is probably purer than what you’re drinking out of your tap.
Bleh…
Ummmm, I am not sure this is the way I planned to start my day today….
How much do you want to bet that some NASA scientist read the Dune books? Sounds very similar to the stillsuits that the Fremen wore. Since most astronauts come through the military, I bet they are fine with this. It’s all basic survival training stuff, with some science thrown in.
The Mannekin Pis had a santa hat on when I was visiting Brussels, many moons ago.
So I suppose a question on future astronauts’ applications will be “Do you have a watersports fetish?”
Jeez, Craiggers, the topics you find to post about.
HUGS…
“Watersports In Space”…sounds like a band name or a new musical.
HUGS…
When you think about it, isn’t what we drink today just recycled Dinosaur pee.
Why don’t they just give them stillsuits?
This is amazing! It reminds me of that episode of Dr. Who where there are stuck on the neverending highway and the people in a car explain that all of their food and water is from recycled human waste. Maybe someday we can enjoy such wonders and poop food!
I refuse to believe that the water I drink is made from recycled sewage water. Bleck. Ignorance is indeed bliss.
David/Howard: I assume they don’t have the astronauts use stillsuits because the first one they make will be really good, and then all the others after that will rapidly decline into ridiculousness.
I already thought this was done with Gatorade.
Welp, there goes my lifelong dream of being an astronaut.
FDot: I don’t think Gatorade has been filtered at all. They just add color. At least that’s what I imagine it would taste like. That stuff is nasty.
Leah: In order to go into space I would drink recycled pee without a second thought. For the chance I’d likely drink pee straight up if they asked. Unfortunately the kind of dedication needed to be an astronaut is sooooo not up my alley. I’ve been to the Canadian Space Agency and seen the training facilities here. Its pretty cool.
If Lance Bass can’t do it, then it MUST be tough.
Tam I in no way mean to sound like a smart ass here, honestly, but I really didn’t know there WAS such a thing as a Canadian Space Agency. Have you guys put anything into orbit?
And I think Lance decided not to go cause he found out you can’t really dance in a no gravity situation.
HUGS…
Yay Howard for the Dune reference!
I actually knew they were working on this, but didn’t know they installed it.
Polt: Of course we have a Space Agency. Sheesh.
We work closely with NASA of course since we don’t have our own but we invented the “CANADARM”. Julie Payette will make her second trip on the shuttle in April as a mission specialist and Bob Thirsk will be heading up on the Soyuz rocket to stay for 6 months on the space station. Marc Garneau, our first astronaut in space was elected to parliament in our last elections. We have quite a few satellites in orbit, Radarsat is one which I believe you guys are trying to get access too and we’re sure you’ll use it for nefarious means. 
Here’s the wikipedia entry, has all our astronauts and the missions they’ve been on and our satellites that are up there spinninga round. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Space_Agency
Craig: I guess there is a difference between being an astronaut and being a space tourist. One, I can’t afford to be a space tourist and two, I’m too lazy and stupid to be an astronaut. I would want to be the real thing, walk in space, fight aliens, you know, the whole nine yards, not just go up and down for a million+ smackers. I can’t imagine Lance kicking any alien ass up there.
I’ll never think of a doctors visit the same way:
Take this cup to the bathroom…fill it to the line……
Shudders
Tam, I truly didn’t know you Canadians were such a space-faring people.
Thanks for the info. Might help me if I get on Jeopardy one day. 
And Tam, I’m sure it’s kicking that Lance would be doing to any alien’s ass if he met them.!
*ZING!*
HUGS…
Obviously, I MEANT the line to read “I’m NOT sure it’s kicking that Lance would be doing to any alien’s ass if he met them!”
HUGS…
Perhaps replacing the “k” with an “l” would be Lance’s chosen activity…
Since most astronauts are practically scientists anyway, I suppose they don’t have much of an issue with drinking recycled urine. I’ve asked myself if I could do it, given the chance…and I probably would, but I’m also a bit of a claustrophobe and being trapped in the confines of a space ship kinda gives me the willies. Unless it’s one of those big ones like on BSG, and they don’t exist yet. I don’t think space travel is in the cards for me in this lifetime, but I still hope it will be.
Polt: Anal probes, that’s all I’m saying. I’m surprised Lance didn’t try harder.
John: Good one.
So, is Dave S. off “making porn” again? He’s been conspicuously absent from the posts these last few days….. :/
I was going to tell you that you don’t need the “dollars” if you put the “$” but Jere beat me to it.
And as for Dave S., he found someone on Craigslist and he’s on his honeymoon now. He’ll be back soon.
*teehee* Tam said ‘harder’*snicker, snicker*
Dave S. has been busy further defining his abs. He wants to make himself SO cut you can slice cheese on his stomach. Either that or he’s just been really extremely busy at work. I forget which he told me.
HUGS…
This post feels like a “Teach Me Something Tuesday” kind of post. However since today is Wednesday I wonder if this is a new type of feature, perhaps “Water Sports Wednesday”.
I have actually been following the saga of the toilets on the ISS for some time now. A few months ago they had some rather difficult problems just keeping their original toilet working.
I don’t think they will actually be drinking the pee-derived-water for a while longer. They will be regularly sending samples back to earth for analysis before they start consuming the water.
Chris: I believe its WTF Wednesday.
I’m slightly concerned that you have been following the ISS toilet issues so closely. 
Tam, what’s WTF Wednesday? What the F*ck Wednesday or Who to F*ck Wednesday?
Okay, *multiple* people emailed me to tell me about this comment string. I’m like, “how does *my* name get worked into a post about urine?!
But now I understand. Clearly Craig found out about my supersecret movie “Watersports in Canadian Space.” (well, okay, it’s a working title). Girls in really heavy polyethylene-fiber suits in zero-G are hot. Of course, I peed myself several times before we figured out how to logistically work the watersports thing. I’m learning that gravity isn’t something to be taken for granted…
And I think I permanently hurt myself trying to fumble around in those big gloves trying to work the condom…
Oh, yes, ladies and gentlemen, I’m back.
And I’m sure all ecstatic…
Finally! I was worried you had an accident on your honeymoon! Kind of like those accidents that often happen on cruise ships… oh no, Pushing Daisies reference. Now I’m sad.
But welcome back!!
Ah, yes, my whirlwind Craigslist relationship. We met last week, fell madly in love, wedded in Vegas, honeymooned in Aspen, then it was off to the hospital where we had two children, bought a dog in the gift shop, had the house built while we were driving home so it would be ready for the two new young’ns, had a huge fight when we got there about why Fido hadn’t been potty trained yet, made up briefly when it was discovered that our son had a learning disability, but then erupted again when it was clear that she was just never going to change, divorced later that day, lost the house, lost the kids, and the dog died after I “accidentally” hit him with my new car that I bought with the alimony settlement.
::sigh:: So I’m eligible again!
Bernd: Whatever floats your boat baby.
Dave: Welcome back and now I’m wildly jealous of your life as I’m sure is everyone else.
I don’t mean to make anyone jealous, Tam. Really. I mean, everyone around here knows how adept I am with the ladies…
Um, yeah — *not*.
Who can say that the hydrogen and oxygen molecules that we drink and breath today didn’t at some point pass through a triceratops willy? (or Wilma)
As long as the dirty stuff like amonia are filtered out, drink up.
Personally, I’ve always found triceratops urine a bit on the dry side with a bit of a daunting aftertaste — fine if you’re having a nice Cesar salad with a side of flatbread and hummus — but I’ve always preferred the heftier flavor of nicely aged Diplodocus piddle. Nice bouquet, lovely color, and goes great with seared yellowfin with sesame-ginger glaze.
Dave S: Once again, you leave me speechless!
Which is a good thing, I’ve been told.
Damn! *That’s* why no one talks around me. All this time I thought it was my lack of personality. Now I realize it’s because of my shining wit!
What a relief…