When you’re thinking about space, it’s unlikely that air compressors popped into your mind. Yet space agencies use compressed air for a whole bunch of purposes when working in outer space.

If you’ve ever thought about flying into space, it’s likely you’ve thought about the liquid fuel, the giant tanks and a whole lot of thrust. However, you probably never thought about adding compressed air into the mix. Yet, without it, you’ll be going nowhere efficiently or safely. Air compressors in space are absolutely vital for keeping cosmonauts alive from the moment their shuttle lifts off to their dramatic re-entry to Earth.

It’s clear that air compressors are the unsung heroes of space travel, so let’s find out more about how they’re used.

Heating The ISS

Currently, the International Space Station has a heat pump system that uses oil-less air compressors. As they are gravity insensitive, they are capable of compensating for issues which would normally have resulting in cooling materials which could end up flowing in the wrong direction or pooling.

Compressed air is being used in space to manage the air supply for cosmonauts, to perform experiments and to keep boosters running in the most efficient way to space stations and vehicles can remain in orbit as well as to keep the ISS at the right temperature for everybody on board.

On Earth, fluids are normally able to combine and mix easily together. However, in space, they break up into separate fluid beads which could be dangerous, causing traditional heat pumps or air compressors that are dependent on liquid to experience a malfunction. While the Makita Big Bore is usually highly recommended , when it comes to use in space, units need to be extremely efficient and low power so they can be used for a range of systems on space stations and shuttles. Compressors which work with vapors and air are used since they are reliable and have a long lifespan.

Powering Rockets Using Compressed Air

When it comes to shuttles escaping the Earth’s atmosphere, compressed air has a vital role to play. Turbine engines are required to power aircraft and each turbine relies on an air compressor to increase the pressure of the air before it can enter the combustor. The more powerful the air compressor, the higher the performance that can be obtained from the engine. In rockets, centrifugal air compressors act as pumps, helping the fuel to be ignited. Since the compressed air is passed through the nozzle, it’s capable of reaching the fuel source even during a high-stress event such as take-off.

How To Breathe In Space

We all know that it’s impossible to breathe in space without an air tank, however we might not have thought about how those air tanks work. The atmosphere of the Earth is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases. This has to be replicated by using compressed air in the right proportions. Space vehicles are designed to carry liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen in tanks that are pressurized and regulated by air compressors. These maintain the gas flow from the tank. Without them, cosmonauts would be unable to breathe during take off, orbit or re-entry.

The Future Of Compressed Air In Space

Recently, NASA has adopted a brand new kind of compressed air canister to provide breathable air consistently for the cosmonauts and astronauts on the ISS. This is a NORS system (or Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge system). Its tanks are able to be used interchangeably across the entire space station, and work not only with the existing network that supplies the air to the ISS but can also be used for individual specialist applications when required. The new tanks are capable, when working with the latest cutting edge air compressors, of holding air that is pressurized up to 6000 pounds and this means there is even more available in every tank. Shuttles therefore will need to make fewer journeys to resupply the International Space Station with air.

Although you might not be going into space yourself, you will probably find that an air compressor is just as useful to you in your own home as it is to the cosmonauts on the ISS!