Human waste – thatβs wee and poo along with wastewater has to go somewhere on a space mission and this can be a challenge where there is limited space.
On the ISS, solid waste is compacted, dehydrated and stored for disposal on returning spacecraft.
Urine and wastewater are recycled through advanced water recovery systems to reclaim water for drinking and hygiene purposes.
Maintenance is very important with these systems especially on long missions where there may be a large amount of waste to store, and where astronauts will need clean drinking water to stay healthy.
