MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- QinetiQ North
America announced today the results of another successful
experiment completed on board the final flight of the space shuttle
Atlantis (STS-135) in July
2011. The experiment, the first of its kind in microgravity,
tested the novel application in space of a technology modeled on a
biological process used by cells on Earth to recover water from
their environment. Already engineered for use in applications
ranging from desalination plants to treating non-potable water for
backpackers, forward osmosis is the natural diffusion of water
through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane permits small polar
molecules like water to pass through while blocking most other
molecules like salts, sugars, starches, or proteins, and stopping
all microorganisms like protozoan parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
On earth, the process converts undrinkable water to a potable fluid
in a few hours; how the process would work in reduced gravity was
unknown prior to this experiment.
In testing on the shuttle, the experiment demonstrated the
process to be nearly as effective in microgravity as in normal
gravity. For the microgravity experiment, scientists from QinetiQ
North America and NASA worked with the creators of the X-Pack™, a
commercially available product, to develop the Forward Osmosis Bag
(FOB), a passive, personal, portable water purification device. The
experiment used a combination of indicator dyes and calculated the
effect of mechanical mixing -- i.e., shaking three of the
experiment's six FOBs for a few minutes -- on the rate of water
passage across the membrane. Additional ground control experiments
for the forward osmosis study will be conducted later this month at
the Kennedy Space Center.
"If we discover that manual manipulation helps, then we hope a
long-term application would result in a spacesuit which would
induce the mechanical mixing as astronauts move around during
spacewalks," said QinetiQ North America project engineer
Monica Soler.
Soler added that, unlike reverse osmosis, which requires a
significant amount of energy, forward osmosis provides an
energy-efficient process that does not increase payload weight or
energy needs of the spacecraft. QinetiQ North America developed and
administered the forward osmosis experiment, as well as other
scientific experiments, on board the final flight of
Atlantis, as a part of its Engineering Services Contract
(ESC) with NASA.
In the future, the Forward Osmosis Bag may be used for water
recovery aboard the International Space Station or in contingency,
return-to-earth scenarios where the crew requires emergency potable
water. The process could also extend the reach of manned space
travel and enable longer space walks by giving astronauts the
ability to produce drinkable fluids in space.
About QinetiQ North America
QinetiQ North America (QNA) is a subsidiary of QinetiQ Group
plc, the FTSE250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:
QQ.L). Operating in North
America, QNA delivers world-class technology, responsive
services, and innovative solutions for global markets, focusing on
US government and commercial customers. Its engineers,
scientists and other professionals deliver high quality products
and services that leverage detailed mission knowledge and proven,
reliable tools and methodologies to meet the rapidly changing
demands of national defense, homeland security and information
assurance customers. QNA is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. For more information visit
www.qinetiq-na.com.
Contact:
Michael Rudd, Boscobel (for QinetiQ
North America, Inc.)
301-588-2900
mrudd@boscobel.com
SOURCE QinetiQ North America
