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This paper reviews the design and properties of the Water Supply System (WSS). It also discusses the water balance and its delivery amounts, as well as it presents diagrams and properties of water recovery system from humidity condensate WRS-CM and regeneration from urine WRS-UM which are the part of WSS. Some results of activities conducted for provision of water intake in a system of WRS-CM from different modules of station are shown and the problems of WSS interaction of Russian segment (RS) and American segment (USOS) of the International Space Station (ISS) are discussed.

This paper reviews designs of urine distillation systems for spacecraft water recovery. Consideration is given to both air evaporation and vacuum distillation cycles, to the means for improving cycle performance (such as heat pumps, multistaging, and rotary evaporators), and to system concepts offering promise for future development. Vacuum distillation offers lower power consumption, at some increase in system complexity; air evaporation distillation is capable of providing higher water recovery efficiency, which could offset the lower power consumption advantage of vacuum distillation for long-duration missions.

This paper reviews the development and testing of the distillation subsystem of water regeneration system from urine (WRS-UM) based on a method of vacuum distillation with a rotary multistage vacuum distiller and a thermal pump. Test results show that with relatively small power consumption the subsystem using rotary three-stage vacuum distiller provides high rates of heat and mass transfer processes, useful productivity and distillate quality. The conducted tests have confirmed that it will be efficient to use the presented system as a part of WRS-UM system in Russian segment of the International Space Station.

The paper describes the design specifics of the system for oxygen generation by electrolysis Elektron and major results obtained in long-term operation of the system aboard space station Mir. Operational data analysis makes possible to draw a conclusion that the system is capable to attain life parameters for at least 2 years with maintaining serviceability for no less than 8 years without attendance and unit replacement. Based on flight operation the possibility of reducing power consumption by 10 per cent is proven. System design updates are realized in the water electrolysis system intended for the Russian segment of the international space station.

The paper analyzes and summarizes experience in developing and flight operation of the system for potable water recovery from humidity condensate. The system schematic and its hardware are reviewed. The system performance data on Salut and Mir space stations are presented. Succession to the development of a similar system for the International Space Station (ISS) service module is shown.

The paper discusses the 13.5 year flight operation experience of the orbiting space station Mir's water supply system (WSS) comprising a regenerative system and a water storage system. The basic water recovery system operational data are analyzed. It is shown that stage-by-stage introduction of additional recovery systems and updated units during its operation allows the system performance to be improved considerably and its functions to be expanded. Data on the quantity and quality of the water processed are presented including the economic efficiency of water recovery aboard the OSS. The experience in international cooperation of water management is described. It is shown that an updated water supply system of the Russian segment of the International Space Station fully accounts for the experience gained in development and operation of Mir's WSS.

In April 1998 during the 24th prime crew operation the first mock-up of the habitation atmosphere harmful contaminants analyzer was delivered to the MIR Space Station. Concentrations of various compounds including ammonia, freon, aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, methane and a number of other harmful contaminants were constantly measured by the device for half a year. The device mock-up test results allowed to make a number of important conclusions underlying the development of the operational monitoring gas analyzer designed for nominal and off-nominal toxicological monitoring of the ISS Service Module (SM) air. The results of measurements made by the device mock-up are presented in the article. The analysis of positive and negative aspects revealed in operation of the device mock-up aboard the MIR Space Station is given, the principle of operation of the gas analyzer intended for the ISS SM is reviewed, technical characteristics are presented in the article.

Eight SUMMA passivated sampling canisters were shipped to the Russian Space Station Mir in February of 1995 to assess ambient trace contaminant concentrations. Prior to flight, the canisters were injected with isotope labeled surrogates and internal standards to measure potential negative impacts on measurement accuracy caused by the trip environmental conditions of launch and return. Three duplicate canister samples were collected in parallel with Russian sorbent samples to acquire data for comparative purposes. A total of 32 target and 13 non-target volatile compounds were detected in each of the samples analyzed. The concentrations of the compounds remained relatively consistent for the three sampling events, and all of the concentrations of detected contaminants were well below both US and Russian Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMAC). Five different fluorocarbons were consistently detected at relatively high concentrations.

The Regenerative Atmosphere Revitalization and Monitoring system (ARMS), been part of Integrated Life Support System (ILSS), is intended for maintenance in the manned modules of a necessary chemical composition of an artificial gas atmosphere (AGA) on base of the crew metabolism product transform to environment initial components. Generally, the ARMS structure includes the individual systems and units intended for: → oxygen generation; → carbon dioxide removal and it concentration; → trace contaminants removal; → carbon dioxide reduction with the goal to produce an additional quantity of water necessary to increase the degree of the oxygen loop clousure. The ARMS structure of the International Space Station (ISS) Russian Segment (RS) includes the Electron-VM Oxygen Generation System (OGS), Vozdukh Carbon Dioxide Removal System (CDRS) and SBMP Trace Contaminants Removal Means (TCRM) installed in the Service Module.

This paper reviews Air Revitalization System (ARS) for Russian Segment of International Space Station software simulation development and implementation by the example the Service Module (SM) ARS. This simulation is designed for the ARS ground test functional analysis and in-flight support Individual ARS complex systems formal description is based on each system description as a unit, using information received from experiments and detailed simulations. Failure can be introduced for contingency simulation.

The report is based on the activities conducted at S.P.Korolev RSC Energia supporting to the Mir space station. Mir has been flying since February 1986, with more than 8,5 years being in the manned mode of operation. The report addresses the gas composition requirements of the Gas Composition Support Aids (GCSA), operational data on the atmospheric composition and information about individual gas composition support aids.

A concept of LSS building for planetary stations is suggested on the basis of experience in the development, research and testing of physical/chemical regenerative LSS for long-duration ground-based bio-technical complexes of habitat support and for orbiting space stations. A gradual transition from integrated physical/chemical regenerative LSS to hybrid integrated physical/chemical and bio-technical LSS and finally to integrated bio-technical regenerative LSS, is suggested. It is shown that at all phases of integrated LSS development, the systems based on physical/chemical processes will be critical for correlating the interfaces between the biological components that process the products obtained in the bio-components, and enabling the vitality of integrated LSS under emergency situations. The interface of integrated LSS with base power supply system is outlined.

The represented paper is devoted to development of a recharge system of onboard spacesuit tanks for the International Space Station (ISS). The recharge system of onboard spacesuit tanks is planned to install on the Universal Docking Module (UDM) of ISS Russian Segment. A description of system as well as directions of further works concerning its modification are discussed.

The paper reviews some problems of providing the thermal conditions in the Sabatier reactor of the CO2 processing system designed to be operated on Russia's service module of ISSA. The possibility of providing and maintaining the autothermal process with heat removal off the canister surface enclosing the reactor. Some results of control system checks in the start-up, steady-state and shutdown modes are presented. The results of Russia's hardware undergone testing onsite at Dornier (Germany) and Hamilton Standard (U.S.) are discussed.

The paper deals with the performance data of the service module Zvezda integrated water supply system of the International Space Station (ISS) as of March 31, 2004. The water supply and demand balance are analyzed. It is shown that water recovery from humidity condensate has been especially important when water delivery by Space Shuttles was terminated. The SRV-K contribution in potable water supply for crew needs was up to 76%. The data of humidity condensate and recovered water compositions are reviewed. The effective cooperation of the international partners on part of life support is shown. Water recovery future prospects are discussed.

This paper reviews a Crew Simulation Model (CSM) for Space Vehicle Integrative Life Support System (ILSS) operation study. It is designed to simulate crew metabolic reaction mass and energy flows in accelerated time mode with each crew member specifics consideration. This CSM formally is based on human body general simulation, which includes main functional systems like: the cardiac-vascular, external respiration, thermal regulation and water/mineral balance. Work and rest time schedules are also considered as well as each crew member presence in a particular module. The CSM considers trace contaminants in metabolic products due to nutrition and environment temperature. This simulations' formal review is shown in the paper as well as formal implementation with computed experiment results. Some of the possible applications are also approached.

Hamilton Standard Space Systems International, Inc. (HSSSI) has obtained and is currently testing a variety of Russian life support hardware. These units have been or are contemplated for use on Mir I and II space stations. This paper presents the current status of performance testing of a Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Processing Unit (CDPU) and components of a Potable Water Processing System (PWP). These systems were fabricated by NIICHIMMASH, the supplier of these units to the Russian space program. It is the intent of this testing program to obtain a data base for technology comparisons to support planned and future international missions. For the CDPU, reactant conversion efficiencies in excess of 99 percent have been noted for the variation in test conditions with 2 to 6 man processing (flows) tested. The CDPU's effluent water has been produced at anticipated rates and is relatively contaminant free.

This paper describes the concept of Ecotechnical System (ETS) based on the analysis of mass, power and data flow exchange within a biocenosis and between a biocenosis and technical systems that support life and activity of any biological entity in isolated environment of space vehicle. A biocenosis is considered to be a gathering of live organisms (generally people, animals, plants and micro-organisms) in an artificial habitat of the isolated environment. An Ecotechnical System is defined and it is shown that the given concept brings together different life support systems based on physical-chemical and biological means of regeneration of crew metabolic products. The existing limitations to the ETS development are reviewed in the paper in respect to limited volumes of space vehicles based on the vehicle characteristics and particular space program tasks. Three step analysis approach proposed for ETS effectiveness evaluation.

The paper summarizes the experience gained with the ISS water management system during the missions ISS-1 through ISS-11 (since November 2 2000, through October 10, 2005). The water supply sources and structure, consumption and supply balance at various phases of space station operation are reviewed. The performance data of the system for water recovery from humidity condensate SRV-K and urine feed and pretreatment system SPK-U in the Russian orbital segment are presented. The key role of water recovery on board the ISS and the need to supplement the station’s water supply hardware with a system for water reclamation from urine SRV-U is shown. The prospects of regenerative water supply system development are considered.