International Space Station USOS Waste and Hygiene Compartment Development

The International Space Station (ISS) currently provides human waste collection and hygiene facilities in the Russian Segment Service Module (SM) which supports a three person crew. An additional set of Russian hardware, known as the АСУ system, is planned for the United States Operational Segment (USOS) to support expansion of the crew to six persons. Integration of the Russian АСУ system into the USOS incorporates direct Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) interfaces to allow more autonomous operation as well as maximized water recovery. An interface has been added to provide water directly to the system for flush purposes as well as a urine delivery interface which will result in less crew time for system maintenance. The direct urine interface will be used to recover water within the urine processing system. Development and qualification testing of the АСУ system has been completed by RSC-Energia and NASA and integration into an ISS equipment rack structure is in process in support of a planned 2008 launch date. This paper reviews the current status of the USOS compartment design and development, results of the Russian АСУ system qualification program, and lessons learned from the integration of a Russian-provided system into the USOS.