Do they just have a whole bunch of oxygen tanks up in the International Space station or is there some othere way?
2006-10-25 12:41:39 · 7 answers · asked by Megan 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The above answers are all wrong. (Except for the one directly above me) There are tanks, but they are full of distilled grade A pure water. (Water is also great radiation shield so these tanks also help shield the astronauts from solar radiation from that sun).
Anyhow, there is a machine on-board called an "oxygen generator" that uses electrolysis to split the hydrogen from oxygen in a water molecule. The oxygen is discharged to the atmosphere inside the space station while the hydrogen is discharged overboard. There are also back-up tanks oxygen tanks onboard in case of failure of all of the oxygen generators (there are 3).
The oxygen from the oxygen generators can either re-fill the tanks or discharge directly to the atmosphere inside.
There are also oxygen candles, but they are only used in case of emergency.
FYI, this is much the same way US Nuclear Submarines can stay submerged without coming up for air. They are also equipt with (much larger) oxygen generators.
2006-10-25 13:17:22 · answer #1 · answered by crookmatt 4 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Space Station Oxygen
2016-12-16 10:18:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The oxygen is NOT recycled on the space station. It is electrolysed from the on-board water supply, which is replenished during shuttle visits. The used oxygen (in the form of carbon dioxide) is scrubbed and vented. There are plans to eventually use the hydrogen byproduct of the electrolysis to reduce the CO2 to water and methane, with the methane being vented rather than CO2, so that then, yes, the oxygen will be recycled.
2016-03-17 05:41:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are 3 sources.
The main source is the Russian built oxygen generator, which splits waste water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from the station's solar panels. The hydrogen is vented overboard.
The second source is tanks of oxygen brought up from Earth.
The emergency supply is the "candles", which are chemical devices that release oxygen as they burn.
2006-10-25 13:15:23 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are all forgetting about the auxiliary line that can be deployed into the atmosphere and pump fresh air directly into the station.
2006-10-25 16:46:33 · answer #5 · answered by Manny L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They ship it up on the shuttle and also on the Russian spacecraft that resupply the spacestation. They also have oxygen generators but they don't supply it all...it has to be replenished from Earth.
2006-10-25 12:45:00 · answer #6 · answered by Doug 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, a whole bunch of tanks.
2006-10-25 12:49:32 · answer #7 · answered by you do not exist 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋