BEIJING: Chinese scientists have claimed a major breakthrough in creating 100 percent of the oxygen required for crews on their own space station. In this way, the need to procure 6 tons of oxygen from the earth every year has ended.
Shenzo 15 is currently crewed on the station and is producing all of its own oxygen.
Speaking at a conference in the city of Harbin on Friday, a spokesman for the Chinese Space Agency said that the six main units of the spacecraft are producing 100 percent of their oxygen requirements. Apart from this, 95% of the water requirements are being recycled.
Bianqiang, head of the Environmental Control and Engineering Office of the Chinese Space Agency, has said that the system they have built has six sub-systems, which on the one hand are releasing carbon dioxide, making water and making several tons of oxygen. This facility is saving huge amount of money and it is also being helped by new technology.
China has announced that it will soon launch a new orbital module to its Tiangong space station.