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Regenerative life support is considered a key enabling technology for the human exploration of space. Without regeneration, the cost of supplying the materials necessary to sustain human life escalates so rapidly that manned space flight becomes uneconomical for all but short, near-Earth missions. One of the methods for providing regenerative life support utilizes a Controlled Ecological Life Support System, or CELSS. To accomplish this regeneration, the CELSS must incorporate technologies for food production, food processing, atmospheric revitalization, water purification, trace contaminant control, and waste processing. Many experiments have been conducted to characterize the performance of individual CELSS subsystems (e.g., plant growth, waste processing). However, very little research has been done to define the performance and operational aspects of CELSS technology at the overall system level.

Introducing water in a diesel engine has been known to decrease peak combustion temperatures and decrease NOx emissions. This however, has been limited to stationary and marine applications due to the requirement of a separate water supply tank in addition to the fuel tank, thereby a two-tank system. Combustion of hydrocarbon fuels produce between 1.35 (Diesel) and 2.55 times (Natural Gas) their mass in water. Techniques for extracting this water from the exhaust flow of an engine have been pursued by the United States department of defense (DOD) for quite some time, as they can potentially reduce the burden of supply of drinking water to front line troops in theater. Such a technology could also be of value to engine manufacturers as it could enable water injection for performance, efficiency and emissions benefits without the drawbacks of a two-tank system.