Article Posted on : - Mar 23, 2009

The Water Processor Assembly, part of the Environmental Control and Life Support System for the International Space Station, cleans wastewater through a series of treatment processes. NASA photo

WASHINGTON (BNS): On Sunday, NASA halted tests on the urine recycler at the International Space Station after problems developed. Astronauts spent most of their time trying to figure out the problem in the urine processor brought by Discovery.

The crew had brought a new distiller for the centrifuge-type device that was effectively tested without liquids on Saturday. However, NASA said that problems developed during the first test run on Sunday using urine.

In his message to ground controllers, station commander Mike Fincke said that once we closed valve 3 it didn’t seem to flow.

According to NASA, the urine processor is a critical component of the space station, once the crew expands to six by May this year. The system will help in converting the astronauts’ urine and condensation into drinking water. Shuttle Endeavour had taken the processor initially, but that stopped working after Christmas last year.

Discovery, which blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center on March 15 for a 13-day mission is scheduled to return on Saturday.