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The electrosynthesis of expendable reagents including acids, bases, and oxidants from simple salts or salt mixtures has been demonstrated using a variety of electrochemical cells. A five chambered electrodialytic water splitting (EDWS) cell with bipolar membranes was utilized to efficiently convert sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium nitrate, and potassium chloride to conjugate acids and bases. With the same cell, selective segregation of cations and anions from mixed salt solutions occurred, resulting in relatively pure acids and bases. These results suggest that pure acids and bases can be produced from composite spacecraft brines. Chemical oxidants such as sodium and ammonium persulfate were also synthesized with high current efficiencies by the electrooxidation of salts and acids in a two chambered electrochemical cell.

This paper describes a newly designed, 2.7 Kg (6 pound) capacity, laundry machine called the Single Phase Space Laundry (SPSL). The machine was designed to wash and dry crew clothing in a micro-gravity environment. A prototype unit was fabricated for NASA-JSC under a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract extending from September 1990 to January 1993. The unit employs liquid jet agitation, microwave vacuum drying, and air jet tumbling, which was perfected by KC-135 zero-g flight testing. Operation is completely automated except for loading and unloading clothes. The unit uses about 20 percent less power than a conventional household appliance.