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THE SILVER INSTITUTE LETTER

VOLUME VI, Number 3, March 1976

WINGED FERRY TO SHUTTLE


BETWEEN EARTH AND SPACE
Astronauts for the first test flights of the Space Shuttle . . . the vehicle that eventually will
commute among orbiting satellites, and between earth and space . . . have been named by
the U.S. National Space Administration (NASA).

Silver will be used in two functions that will provide Shuttle crews with pure water for
drinking, air conditioning, food preparation and other operations. Water wastes will be
recycled in Shuttle flight, and silver's first job will be to treat hydrogen-saturated water
coming from Shuttle fuel cells; this water will pass through a tubular device of palladium
and silver alloy; tube wails will be 10 mils (0.25 ram. or 0.01 in.) thick. Under pressure of
60 psi at a flow rate of 7 liters/hour, 85% of the hydrogen will diffuse out through the
palladium-silver tube walls and be vented in the space vacuum outside the tubes. The
device is made by Life Systems, Inc., 24755 High Point Rd. Cleveland, Ohio 44122.
From the silver-palladium tubes, water will flow to a purifying unit where silver will
perform its second task. Less than an ounce of silver bromide in a cylinder less than 20
cm. (8 in.) long will eliminate bacteria, including Pseudomonas A and Type IIIA bacteria
in 15 minutes or more, NASA scientists report. By establishing 100 parts of silver in a
billion parts of water as hygienic for drinking in the Shuttle, NASA eliminates the need
for the 1,000 to 1.500 ppb of chlorine generally used for purification. This compact,
efficient water purifier is the Advance Prototype Silver Ion Water Bactericide System,
made by Chemtric Inc., 9330 West Willams St., Rosemont, Illinois 60018. The unit will
provide Shuttle crews with 120 liters (32 gal.) of pure water daily for all uses within the
Shuttle and for backpacks when the astronauts work outside the vehicle in space;
eventually, astronauts will leave their Shuttles to provide maintenance to satellites while
they are in orbit; and to recapture scientific instruments in space, stow them in the
Shuttle's 60x15 ft. (18x5 meters) cargo bays, and return them to earth.
The basic value of the Shuttles is that each vehicle will make repeated launches from
earth and many cruises in space, carrying a payload each time. This will be cheaper than
the cost of a big expendable launch vehicle for each job to be done.

The Shuttles are being made by the Space Division, Rockwell International, Downey,
California 90241. The firm specifies silver for many other functions in the vehicles: a
five-kilogram (11 lbs. or 161 tr. oz.) sterling silver ring will serve as the seal in an oxygen
turbopump inducer in the main engine; silver bearings on cargo doors' hinges will
withstand the 760° C (1400° F) heat that will be experienced as the Shuttle re-enters
earth's atmosphere; and silver will be used in electronic circuits. Why? Silver makes the
best seal because it's smooth, ductile, and resists deterioration from oxidation, chemicals
and extreme temperatures. It makes the best bearings because it has dry-lubricant
properties and diffuses heat. And it makes the best electronic circuits because it is an
excellent conductor, and switches slide reliably over the smooth, clean surface.

For more information on health hazards such as chlorine and other drinking water
contaminants please read through our "Health Topics" pages or review many of the
information sites listed on our research page.

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