According to a representative presenting at a space technology conference in Harbin City on Friday, the Space Station, which is presently manned by the Shenzhou-15 crew, can create all its own oxygen.
According to Bian Qiang, head of the environmental control and life-support engineering office under the Astronaut Centre of China, “At the moment, the six systems are in stable operation, with 100% of the oxygen resources regenerated and 95% of the water resources recycled.”
According to Bian, “this reduces the amount of supplies from the ground by six tonnes annually.”
The discovery signifies a substantial development in the environmental management and life-support systems for China’s manned spacecraft, shifting from “replenishment” to “regeneration.”
Six subsystems make up the system, each of which performs a different task, such as producing oxygen, removing carbon dioxide, or turning carbon dioxide and hydrogen into water.
