On September 27, 2016, the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, addressed the International Astronautical Congress. Musk spoke on his ambition for mankind to visit, and eventually colonize, Mars: “I think the most important thing [for the preservation of humanity] is to create a self-sustaining city on Mars”. Meaning, humanity will need to develop technology to recycle or reuse almost all our resources to not only survive, but to thrive outside Earth’s environment.

The first step in this ambitious goal is to perfect the reuse of resources on the International Space Station (ISS). Developing the most sophisticated and cutting-edge technology is vital, as these systems are relied on by the crew to provide life-critical resources. Currently, 88% of the water on the ISS can be reused though 12% is lost to waste, roughly 100 ml per person per day. Advancements in light emitting diodes (LEDs) within the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum are one tool that can help mitigate the possibility of biocontamination in the water system and improve the reuse rate.

Issues with Current Water Reuse System

The relatively large distance between the ISS and the closest support back on Earth is an issue we can no longer ignore if we are to extend our extra-terrestrial ambitions. Monthly resupply missions are needed to bring vital resources that cannot be recycled on-orbit. This delivery service uses a 3 million horse-power rocket to catch-up and dock with the ISS as it speeds around the Earth at 17 000 mph; this is a very expensive task, costing approximately $2000 per lb of cargo. Unfortunately, the problem becomes even worse looking towards Mars, which needs much bigger rockets and has a travel time of 6 – 9 months, compared to just a few hours to the ISS! Any reduction in consumables and resupply needs will massively help in the journey to colonizing the red planet.

Current ISS systems for air and water do not include real-time biocontamination monitoring. In order to test microorganism levels in drinking water, a sample must be sent back to Earth for laboratory testing; this process takes 3 – 6 months from sample collection to result. This delay could be crucial, since the crew aboard the ISS have limited sources of drinking water and could be unknowingly drinking contaminated water for months before the alarm is raised. If a contamination event occurred, the first indications would likely be crew sickness rather than any laboratory result: the consequences of which could well be fatal in such a dangerous and isolated environment.

BIOWYSE and the introduction of UV-C LEDs

Looking to the future of manned space exploration, the current drinking water delivery system aboard the ISS was evaluated and found in need of improvement. BIOWYSE, a European Commission Horizon 2020 funded project, was launched to test a new type of system which uses real-time microbial monitoring (ATPmetry) and deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-C LEDs) for disinfection. The intent of the project is to develop an integrated, autonomous, chemical-free system to control and monitor biomass growth in potable water systems aboard the ISS. Two years in to the project, the consortium has developed the main components of the system, which include a number of advanced technologies such as AquiSense Technologies’ patent-protected UV-C LED Water Decontamination Module. The next stage is to begin integration testing in March 2018, followed by laboratory and field testing through to the end of the year.

BIOWYSE functions autonomously, with real-time microbial monitoring. If pathogen levels are too high in the main system, the UV-C LED disinfection module is activated, and the water is decontaminated in recirculation and direct delivery modes. Currently, the BIOWYSE Project is designed as a backup system to ensure that the drinking water supply remains safe to drink; though not yet implemented, the technology stands as a precursor to main water handling systems of the future. BIOWYSE is one of the first major international projects to employ UV-C LEDs, and AquiSense is proud to deliver this new technology to the world stage.

Traditional mercury UV lamps were ruled-out of the project, as mercury is one of many banned substances on-board the ISS and the risk of lamp breakage and a mercury spill is too high. Comparatively, UV-C LEDs are made from common elements with low toxicity, bound into a stable crystal form; environmental factors surrounding breakage and disposal are therefore not a concern. UV-C LEDs offer the same type of disinfection as traditional UV lamps, but with a small, robust light source.

UV-C LEDs solve many of the issues that continue to cause problems for chemical treatment and mercury-based UV disinfection, including exposure to hazardous materials. Adding too much of these chemicals can produce disinfection by-products known to be detrimental to human health under prolonged exposure. Besides the preventive health benefits offered by UV-C LEDs, there are several additive benefits that are key for space applications. The solid-state technology of the LED light source, its durability, compact footprint, and minimal maintenance requirements make UV-C LED systems ideal for this new market. Looking forward, these systems offer new applications for water disinfection in markets back on Earth.