The relatively large distance between the ISS and the closest support back on Earth is an issue we can no longer ignore if we are to extend our extra-terrestrial ambitions. Monthly resupply missions are needed to bring vital resources that cannot be recycled on-orbit. This delivery service uses a 3 million horse-power rocket to catch-up and dock with the ISS as it speeds around the Earth at 17 000 mph; this is a very expensive task, costing approximately $2000 per lb of cargo. Unfortunately, the problem becomes even worse looking towards Mars, which needs much bigger rockets and has a travel time of 6 – 9 months, compared to just a few hours to the ISS! Any reduction in consumables and resupply needs will massively help in the journey to colonizing the red planet.

Current ISS systems for air and water do not include real-time biocontamination monitoring. In order to test microorganism levels in drinking water, a sample must be sent back to Earth for laboratory testing; this process takes 3 – 6 months from sample collection to result. This delay could be crucial, since the crew aboard the ISS have limited sources of drinking water and could be unknowingly drinking contaminated water for months before the alarm is raised. If a contamination event occurred, the first indications would likely be crew sickness rather than any laboratory result: the consequences of which could well be fatal in such a dangerous and isolated environment.

Already current markets for UV-C LED based systems such as commercial appliances and healthcare disinfection applications have benefited from research and development associated with the BIOWYSE project. For example, the environmental durability and quality hurdles met for space habitats, has provided commercial appliance manufacturers and medical device makes with increased confidence regarding this new technology. The ability to power UV-C LED systems from low-voltage supplies such as solar panels or batteries is ideal for off-grid applications. In addition, the durability of these systems has seen their integration into portable water disinfection applications such as military and disaster relief systems, where shock resistance is highly valued. Since the additive benefits discussed are intrinsic to the UV-C LED sources, and not derived from intensive design, these self-same devices can easily be transferred from space station to refugee camp to office water cooler.

Demonstration of the advanced features UV-C LEDs offer, can be seen in products such as the PearlAqua Micro series, which features an IP67-rated, shock resistant housing and DC power requirement as low as 4.2 W. Telemetry and digital control are also standard across the PearlAqua range. This product has been integrated into commercial products in the Food and Beverage market. One example is a commercial steam oven produced by Distform FoodService Technology, where the warm, moist environment has the potential to propagate the growth of harmful pathogens such as listeria, salmonella, clostridium and E. coli. To mitigate this risk, the integration of disinfection module to the incoming water supply is shown to be effective. Other applications are being scaled-up or are already in mass production, including point of use disinfection in water coolers.