Airbus has delivered a new life support system called Advanced Closed Loop System (ACLS) that is set to be used as a technology demonstrator on the International Space Station (ISS) this year.
Developed by Airbus on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA), the system has been designed to purify air and produce oxygen for the ISS.
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ACLS is also capable of producing water as a by‑product of the technology.
It is designed to extract parts of the carbon dioxide in the cabin atmosphere. It uses hydrogen obtained from splitting water molecules to convert it to methane and water using a procedure called Sabatier.
Oxygen is generated from this water using electrolysis.
The ability to create oxygen on-board the ISS is set to increase overall system efficiency and minimise the need for supplies from Earth.
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By GlobalDataACLS will be installed in the HTV-7 space transporter at the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. It is scheduled to be launched to the ISS in August.
In a separate development, Airbus announced that the main sections of the first A380 aircraft for Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) have arrived at the company’s final assembly line in Toulouse, France.
Six subassemblies, including the nose, central and aft fuselage sections, tailplane, and two wings have also arrived at the site.
Final assembly of the aircraft is expected to commence next month.
