A solution for these challenges would be full-body 'stillsuits' like those in the blockbuster Dune franchise, which absorbed and purified water lost through sweating and urination, and recycled it into drinkable water. Now, this sci-fi is about to become reality, with a prototype novel urine collection and filtration system for spacesuits.

The design, by researchers from Cornell University, is published in Frontiers in Space Technology.

"The design includes a vacuum-based external catheter leading to a combined forward-reverse osmosis unit, providing a continuous supply of potable water with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure astronaut well-being," said Sofia Etlin, a research staff member at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University, and the study's first author.

Designed for upcoming moon and Mars missions

In 2025 and 2026, NASA is planning for the Artemis II and III missions, where a crew will orbit the moon and land on its south pole, respectively. These missions are expected to be followed by crewed missions to Mars by the early 2030s.