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Two portable, collapsible water storage containers were developed to enable water logistics and storage on ISS. The first is a new version of the 44-liter Contingency Water Container (CWC) originally developed for the Shuttle Program. The new CWC uses a thicker Combitherm® film, VPCXX 140, as the bladder material. The second is a multipurpose 10-liter vessel, known as the Payload Water Reservoir (PWR), with a Teflon® bladder. Both of these collapsible vessels have Nomex® outer restraints for structural support, allowing them to withstand pressurization and resist puncture. The results of material longevity tests, the design and development of the two containers are briefly reported, and current and future water, wastewater, coolant and experiment fluid storage applications for the ISS are described.

In planning for Exploration missions and developing the required suite of environmental monitors, the difficulty lies in down-selecting a multitude of technology options to a few candidates with exceptional potential. Technology selection criteria include conventional analytical parameters (e.g., range, sensitivity, selectivity), operational factors (degree of automation, portability, required level of crew training, maintenance), logistical factors (size, mass, power, consumables, waste generation) and engineering factors such as complexity and reliability. Other more subtle considerations include crew interfaces, data readout and degree of autonomy from the ground control center. We anticipate that technology demonstrations designed toward these goals will be carried out on the International Space Station, the end result of which is a suite of techniques well positioned for deployment during Exploration missions.