Your country is not included? Please visit our global website Language KNF pumps recycle air on board of the ISS Our engineering team took on the challenge of working on the development of a fluid pump with Airbus Defence and Space for four years. Airbus Defence and Space is part of the Airbus Group, specializing in military aviation, military and civilian aerospace systems as well as sensors and communications technology for defence and security. The pump for outer space use was finished in autumn 2018. Two copies of the pump were ultimately integrated into the new Life Support Rack. This unit, also known as the Advanced Closed Loop System (ACLS), has the task of recovering carbon dioxide from the air in the spacecraft and generating fresh oxygen for the crew through electrolysis. The new ACLS rack was installed in the ISS Destiny module by German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst on 2 November 2018, when he was in command of the ISS. The two diaphragm pumps used were part of an electrolyser that generated oxygen and hydrogen from water. The pumps delivered the supply water from a plastic bag into the ACLS. Oxygen was extracted by first converting the carbon dioxide from the cabin air into methane and water. This process required hydrogen which, in turn, was obtained by splitting water molecules and supplying energy. The electrolytic process extracted breathable oxygen from the water. Such challenging tasks push the boundaries of what is constructively possible, which benefit our pump project assignments worldwide every year. Most are developing into a success story. The same is true for the space pump. Do you want to find out more about our customized pump solutions and service opportunities? Get in touch with our local sales representatives.