CosmicQuest
Living in Space

A shower for your space station
You need to be self-sufficient in: Air, food
Instrument panel

Astronaut changing CO2 scrubber filterAll NASA spaceflights have used carbon dioxide (CO2) scrubbers to remove carbon dioxide from the air. These devices filter the air just like your furnace or air conditioner filter.

But CO2 scrubbers don't create more oxygen for you to breathe. They just remove carbon dioxide. For long-term missions, you'll need fresh oxygen to survive. Try again!

Asteroid mining
Mine asteroids for frozen oxygen
Plants converting CO2 to O2
Use plants to freshen the air

 

© The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 1999