Water scarcity isn’t just an Earth problem. Aquaporin Space Alliance (ASA) has secured a crucial contract with the European Space Agency for an advanced water purification system. According to the company’s announcement, this groundbreaking project will develop a full-ground prototype designed specifically for space applications.

Nature knows best. The system’s core innovation lies in its Aquaporin Inside technology, which harnesses nature’s own water purifiers – specialized proteins found in all living cells that facilitate water transport across cell membranes. « This is a major milestone for the Aquaporin Inside technology and collaboration with Danish Aerospace Company. We are proud to develop technologies and solutions that can push the boundaries of water filtration in space, » says Jörg Vogel, Vice President of Open Innovation at Aquaporin. The technology’s effectiveness has already been demonstrated during three experiments aboard the International Space Station during Danish ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s missions in 2015 and 2023.

Welcome to the Space Plumbing Revolution

Every drop counts in zero gravity. The system aims to advance space water management by recycling both astronaut urine and atmospheric condensate from spacecraft environments. While current water recycling systems exist on the ISS, they face limitations in efficiency and size. The new system employs an open-loop triple circulation process with two-stage filtration, promising more compact and efficient water recovery.

Tomorrow’s space stations are thirsty. Looking ahead, this technology could prove crucial for future space endeavors. « We have dedicated a lot of time in the past several years to maturing and de-risking the various technology elements, » explains Thomas A. E. Andersen, CEO of Danish Aerospace Company and Aquaporin Space Alliance. The system’s potential applications extend to the International Space Station, commercial space platforms, and notably, the upcoming Lunar Gateway project.