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Trash/Waste Management
Trash/Waste Management
Trash/Waste management technologies provide solutions for trash disposal, management, recycling, and processing. NASA has developed various technologies and capabilities for in-space and on-surface trash/waste management. This includes trash compaction, trash thermochemical conversion/deconstruction, bioregenerative life support systems for wastewater management, metabolic waste management, waste stabilization, and in-space manufacturing of recycled materials.
| Civil Space Shortfalls | SF18 |
| ESDMD Architecture-Driven Technology Gaps | 0702, 1202 |
| Primary Technology Taxonomy | TX06.1.3, TX13.5.6 |
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Trash Compaction And Processing System (Sierra Space)
 | Description Physical compaction and heat to reduce volume of trash, recover water, and stabilize the material from biological risk Potential Use Cases Trash volume reduction (375 kg/m3 tile density); water recovery (98%); biological reduction TRL: 6 Intended Environment: Low Earth Orbit, Moon, Mars Technology Source: NASA Industry Partner Discover More at TechPort  |
Trash-to-Gas
 | Description Thermochemical reactions to convert trash into more useful products. Orbital Syngas/Commodity Augmentation Reactor (OSCAR) demonstrated combustion feasibility of a mixed waste stream in microgravity Potential Use Cases Trash mass and volume reduction (~90% solid-to-gas conversion), water recovery, biological reduction, propellant production, ECLSS commodity production, solid carbon production TRL: 4 Intended Environment: Moon, Mars Technology Source: NASA Discover More at TechPort |
MPactor
 | Description A simple, lightweight, pneumatically driven trash compaction system Potential Use Cases Trash volume reduction (283 kg/m3 tile density) TRL: 3 Intended Environment: Moon, Mars Technology Source: NASA Discover More at Texas Tech University Libraries |
On-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Using Recycled Waste (Re: 3D Inc.)
 | Description A 3D printing system compatible with recycled thermoplastics to produce useful parts and equipment. re:3D’s Gigabot X extrusion-based printer can print directly from ground plastic flakes Potential Use Cases Trash mass and volume reduction (via new part generation), tool/spares/equipment production TRL: 4 Intended Environment: Moon, Mars Technology Source: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Discover More at TechPort |
Universal Waste Management System (Collins Aerospace)
 | Description A compact toilet system that can be used across multiple crewed vehicles and habitats; flown on Artemis II Potential Use Cases Metabolic waste management (100% fecal collection/compaction), urine water recovery and/or vent TRL: 9 Intended Environment: Low Earth Orbit, Moon, Mars Technology Source: NASA Industry Partner Discover More at Techport |
Collapsible Contingency Urinal (IRPI LLC.)
 | Description Contingency wastewater collection and processing device via passive capillarity; flown on Artemis II Potential Use Cases Urine collection, urine venting, other fluid capture/containment in micro- and reduced-gravity environments TRL: 9 Intended Environment: Low Earth Orbit, Moon, Mars Technology Source: NASA Industry Partner Discover More at IRPI’s Collapsible Contingency Urinal Page |
Ultrasonic Fecal Dryer (Ultrasonic Technology Solutions)
 | Description Efficient and fast direct-contact ultrasonic drying to stabilize and recover water from feces Potential Use Cases Waste stabilization, fecal water recovery (80-100%) TRL: 4 Intended Environment: Low Earth Orbit, Moon, Mars Technology Source: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Discover More at TechPort |
Torrefaction for Human Solid Waste Management (Advanced Fuel Research)
 | Description Torrefaction processing that sterilizes feces and produces a stable, odor-free solid product, while recovering moisture Potential Use Cases Waste sterilization, fecal water recovery (100+%) TRL: 4 Intended Environment: Low Earth Orbit, Moon, Mars Technology Source: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Discover More at TechPort |
Advanced Organic Waste Gasifier (Pioneer Astronautics)
 | Description Steam reformation, methanation, and electrolysis to convert organic waste into water, dry vent gas, and a small amount of inorganic residue, thereby reducing transit propellant and tankage mass Potential Use Cases Trash mass and volume reduction, water recovery, syngas production TRL: 5 Intended Environment: Mars Technology Source: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Discover More at TechPort |
Catalytic Conversion of Waste Plastic to Hydrogen and Performance Carbon (Cecilia Energy)
 | Description Microwave-assisted thermocatalytic decomposition of mixed waste plastic Potential Use Cases Recover hydrogen gas for fuel, solid carbon production TRL: 5 Intended Environment: Moon, Mars Technology Source: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Discover More at TechPort |
Separation Technology of On-Orbit Liquid and Excrement (Paragon)
 | Description Full-scale fecal drying system to recover water from fecal material in space Potential Use Cases Fecal water recovery TRL: 5 Intended Environment: Moon, Mars Technology Source: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Discover More at TechPort |
Bliss Bioreactors
 | Description A series of bioreactors that consume wastewater streams as feedstock to generate products such as methane, fertilizer, and sugars Potential Use Cases Waste mass and volume reduction, water recovery, fertilizer production, propellant production, ECLSS commodity production, biomanufacturing feedstock TRL: 5 Intended Environment: Moon, Mars Technology Source: NASA Discover More at TechPort |
