Liquid Waste Control in Micro-G: Designing a Capillary-Wicking Liner for the Specimen Chamber of the Advanced Animal Habitat (AAH)

The Advanced Animal Habitat (AAH) is an integrated life-support system for domesticated rats aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Preventing contact between liquid waste and specimens inside the AAH will be important for both animal welfare and system maintainability. Capillary channels are being developed to line the interior surfaces of AAH to capture and wick waste liquid away from the animals and into the main waste filter assembly where it can be evaporated, thereby maintaining a cleaner and drier specimen volume. Work on this wicking liner focused on flight materials, surface treatment, and geometries that achieve high capillary flow velocities with liquid rodent wastes.