NASA Tests Closed-Loop Waste System for Moon, Mars Missions, Turning Waste Into 3D-Printing Feedstock
Updated
Updated · Kursiv Media · Jun 3
NASA Tests Closed-Loop Waste System for Moon, Mars Missions, Turning Waste Into 3D-Printing Feedstock
3 articles · Updated · Kursiv Media · Jun 3
Summary
NASA is putting a closed-loop wastewater system through space-base simulations to turn astronauts’ liquid and food waste into drinking water, plant fertilizer and materials for on-site manufacturing.
The setup combines bioreactors, water purification hardware and a vertical hydroponic garden, reflecting a central goal for lunar and Martian missions: cut the high cost of resupplying water and food from Earth.
Researchers are also trying to make lactic acid from bodily waste, which could be converted into bioplastic for 3D printing replacement parts or even components of future habitats.
If the system works at scale, crews could grow part of their own food and rely less on cargo flights, a capability NASA sees as important for Artemis and a sustained human presence beyond Earth.
That push comes as Artemis II — launched April 1 with four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby — marked the first crewed mission of its kind since 1972.
With the ISS water system often failing, can this more complex recycler truly guarantee astronaut survival on the Moon?
This system turns waste into 3D-printing material. How soon could astronauts build lunar bases using their own recycled waste?
Beyond space missions, could this mobile water recycler become a vital tool for Earth's own water-scarce communities?
Achieving 95% Water Recovery: NASA’s Divergent Deployable Wastewater Treatment Facility for Sustainable Lunar and Martian Habitats
Overview
The Divergent Deployable Wastewater Treatment Facility (DDWTF) was deployed at the University of North Dakota in June 2026 through a NASA EPSCoR grant. Integrated with a lunar and Martian analog habitat, the system uses a specialized bathroom interface with a urine-diverting toilet to separate waste streams at the source, sending them to targeted treatment systems. Ali Alshami’s team is developing advanced membrane-based separation technologies for future integration, aiming to boost water recovery, improve contaminant removal, and strengthen system resilience. These innovations are essential for supporting sustainable, long-duration human missions beyond Earth.