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[i]Did you know?[/i] [b]ATV's Russian, American and Italian water[/b] [i]An example of one of the ATV's water tanks.[/i] Credit: Alenia Spazio The ATV is capable of carrying two types of water to the International Space Station in compliance with the different standards set by NASA and Russia's Roscosmos: [list][*]The NASA standard requires its water to have low dry residue like that produced through a reverse electrolyse process, such as by the fuel cells on-board the space shuttle. It is disinfected with iodine. [*]Roscosmos' standard water has minerals such as calcium, magnesium and fluoride. It is disinfected with silver obtained via electrolysis.[/list] "For Jules Verne, the ISS partners have decided to bring only the Russian type of water. We will have the water ready for delivery less than three months before launch" said Cesare Lobascio, head of Environmental Control and Life Support for Space Vehicles at Alenia Spazio in Turin. The same Italian space firm builds the ATV's pressurized Integrated Cargo Carrier in its Turin plant. The Integrated Cargo Carrier has a maximum capacity for water of 1,852 lbs. (840 kg), divided between three water tanks, but on Jules Verne only one tank is filled. "It is interesting to know that whether the ATV carries 'Russian' water, like for the Jules Verne mission, or 'American' water, in each case the water is in reality Italian water, since the water carried by the ATV is processed and delivered by the municipal water works of Turin, Italy (more precisely the Società Metropolitana Acque Torino SpA - SMAT)," wrote ESA spokesperson Dieter Isakeit. "So even if the astronauts on the ISS can drink no Italian wine, they can drink at least Italian water." The Turin water that is meant to become Russian water for the ISS is taken from sources close to the center of Turin, where the mineral content of the water is similar to the water in Moscow, whereas "American" water would be taken from sources located much higher in the Alps, near the area of the Olympic Games, where the water contains less minerals, in compliance with NASA's water standards for the ISS. [i]The three water tanks installed on the Jules Verne ATV.[/i] Credit: ESA
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