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NASA Adds Smell Detector To Space Station, Insert Fart Joke Here
Posted by Jesus Diaz at 11:22 PM on November 20, 2008
Apart from remodelling their home, astronauts on board the International Space Station are installing a new piece of equipment that may save their lives one day. Or embarrass them. It can go either way: Containing 32 sensors in a device the size of a shoebox, the ENose--or electronic nose--will be able to detect even the most subtle inorganic and organic smells. Like Carl Walz, ISS astronaut and Director for NASA's Advanced Capabilities puts it, "having experienced an air-quality event during my Expedition 4 mission on the space station, I wish I had the information that this ENose will provide future crews." Yes Carl. Air-quality events are bad.
This component is vital for the safety of astronauts in space. Humans can tolerate some smells without noticing until it's too late to react. As Margaret A. Ryan, the principal researcher of the ENose project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, puts it:
The ENose is a 'first-responder' that will alert crew members of possible contaminants in the air and also analyse and quantify targeted changes in cabin environment.
The ENose uses polymer films that react to different chemicals in the air by changing their electrical conductivity. It can analyse aerosols and vapours, as well as monitor chemical spills, and even send data to the JPL's ENose computer, which can do more complex analysis. It's extremely sensitive: Depending on the chemical, it can detect "fractional parts per million to 10,000 parts per million."
What is surprising is that the ENose is not yet a permanent part of the ISS. In fact, it's surprising that something like the ENose has never been a permanent part of any modern space mission except for the brief six-day demonstration that John Glenn did on STS-95, back in 1998. [JPL]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Posted 2:30 AM 21/11/08
@Curves: Then, don't you mean, blame the mog? :)
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Curves
Posted 2:29 AM 21/11/08
@Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised ...: I was thinking more of "Barf" (John Candy) from Space Balls. That wookie looking dude from Star Wars too. He has a stenchy look about him as well.
Curves
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Posted 2:24 AM 21/11/08
And then it becomes self aware....
****SENT BY SYNTHOLFACTORY2011CC****
analysis reveals high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide. fatty acid levels reaching critical. crew members ingesting freeze-dried mexican food. @#$@#% BUTYRIC ACID LEVELS RISING CRITICAL DIAGNOSTIC $$$@# WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO BE A PEPPER TOO I'M AFRAID DA..
UNIT_OFFLINE
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Gann
Posted 2:01 AM 21/11/08
@Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised ...: That article says she burned up on reentry.
Gann
Costermonger
Posted 2:00 AM 21/11/08
aft shields up!
Costermonger
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as an
Posted 1:57 AM 21/11/08
@Curves: I don't think it was Laika since she's a pupsicle by now...
[en.wikipedia.org]
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as another dude
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 1:53 AM 21/11/08
Yea, but will it actually identify the person who farted? That would break that old "he who smelt it dealt it" paradigm.
Noobs-R-Us
jdhuck
Posted 1:44 AM 21/11/08
Hal: Dave, it seems you need to do a hand check.
Dave: Shut up Hal, it was just a little gas.
Hal: You should try Beano Dave. Beano now, there will Beano gas later.
Dave: Damn Hal, what are you my mother?
Hal: Dave, you sound stopped up. Try this Zicam and you will feel better faster. Just step into this airlock and I will administer.
jdhuck
Curves
Posted 1:42 AM 21/11/08
Blame the dog.
Curves
The Comedian
Posted 1:40 AM 21/11/08
Drrbbbruueefrrrddooopppsssss... How's that now..?!! ( ;-))
The Comedian
YachneBarbatus
Posted 1:38 AM 21/11/08
If you scream in space can anyone....oh who cares! Who crapped their pants dammit!
YachneBarbatus
YachneBarbatus
Posted 1:35 AM 21/11/08
If you fart in space...hearing it is apparently not your biggest concern. How long does that linger? Ug.
YachneBarbatus
s017jrs
Posted 1:34 AM 21/11/08
Did they at least call it a smell-o-scope and give credit where credit is due?
s017jrs
blore40
Posted 1:32 AM 21/11/08
If astronauts fired their "booster rockets", they might alter the spacecraft's orbit.
blore40
DustyButt
Posted 2:55 AM 21/11/08
Captain, sensors indicate a gaseous anomoly on deck 3. It's slowly enveloping crewman Jones and Smith...
...Sensors now indicate that crewman Smith has just punched Jones.
DustyButt
unspellable
Posted 2:51 AM 21/11/08
Hmmm, too bad no "air-quality event" jokes will make it into the next Star Trek movie... It could make a great inside joke... especially if Scotty were to mention it in passing:
"Ay, Captain. We're just finishing an evasive 'air-quality event' maneuver at our station. But, we'll have those engines back online as soon as we can."
unspellable
Ibelieveinsandwitches
Posted 2:49 AM 21/11/08
When things get really bad the ISS deploys its emergency lysol dispenser.
quick spray it with fresh lilac before its to late!
Ibelieveinsandwitches
ripfire
Posted 3:16 AM 21/11/08
Sometimes I wonder if the guys who comes up with these watch Robot Chicken.
ripfire
bpapa9013
Posted 3:14 AM 21/11/08
The first time I read this post I wasn't paying very close attention to the punctuation I read it as:
"...will be able to detect even the most subtle inorganic and organic smells, like Carl Walz. ISS astronaut and Director for NASA's Advanced Capabilities..."
And my first though was, jeez what does Giz have against Carl Walz?
bpapa9013
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as an
Posted 3:08 AM 21/11/08
@Curves: LOL.. after filming the trash compactor scene the Chewbacca costume became infused with a foul odor that they could not get rid of. And since they only had a couple of the fur suits they didn't have the luxury of just throwing it away...
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as another dude
stryder100
Posted 3:07 AM 21/11/08
@unspellable: In passing!? ROTFL!!!
stryder100
stryder100
Posted 3:06 AM 21/11/08
This is hilarious. It also showed up as a featured article on news.google.com. Pretty cool.
stryder100
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as an
Posted 4:00 AM 21/11/08
After this they'll be working on the list of foods that won't be allowed on the ISS.
At least they can still have all the Tang they can drink..
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as another dude
LittleJon
Posted 3:57 AM 21/11/08
Why don't they put a UV air purifier on the ISS? The UV breaks down organic compounds to get rid of smells.
I have an Alen air purifier that does this and it works well, even if the cat's done a particularly smelly one in his box!
LittleJon
Mona
Posted 3:53 AM 21/11/08
But will it LIGHT. THAT is the most important question of them all. (the space fart)
Mona
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as an
Posted 3:49 AM 21/11/08
@Gann: There were several explanations given for her death over the years. I'm not sure which one to believe...
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as another dude
unspellable
Posted 4:25 AM 21/11/08
@LittleJon: That's good to know.
unspellable
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as an
Posted 4:44 AM 21/11/08
@whatnot22: I'm suddenly reminded of the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles..
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as another dude
whatnot22
Posted 4:37 AM 21/11/08
@Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised ...: I personally had to ban beans in the camper trailer. Three guys eating beans while camping is no fun at all. Imagine it on a space station where you can't just open the door. Start your list now NASA.
whatnot22
king_of_fools
Posted 4:37 AM 21/11/08
reminds me of the Smell-O-Scope on Futurama
[futurama.wikia.com]
king_of_fools
Zlevee
Posted 5:11 AM 21/11/08
@Zlevee: And why was I stripped of my star? I'm less of a prolific commenter these days but I think I still drop some gems, at least as often as astronauts break wind.
Zlevee
Zlevee
Posted 5:08 AM 21/11/08
People don't shower in space much, do they?
Zlevee
Curves
Posted 5:15 AM 21/11/08
@Zlevee: You can have my star if you want. I dont even know why I have it and it really doesnt mean that much to me. When I first got it, I didnt know what it was and thought I was in trouble, like double secret probation or something. All Gizs commenters are *STARS* in my book.
Curves
Zlevee
Posted 5:43 AM 21/11/08
@Curves:Thanks but then I'd feel like that kid in the rollover minutes commercial
+ Watch video
Zlevee
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as an
Posted 6:51 AM 21/11/08
@Zlevee: No, hence the need for these smell-o-meters...
Jrsy is back to being the dude, playing the dude disguised as another dude
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 10:03 AM 21/11/08
@LittleJon: This is meant to detect slight odors that could indicate equipment malfunctions and the like, not to ensure fresh smelling air.
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 10:00 AM 21/11/08
@s017jrs: Good news, everyone!
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
FiveLiters
Posted 4:06 AM 23/11/08
"Humans can tolerate some smells without noticing until it's too late to react."
And when they do,it's usually "OMG!! What did you DO???"
FiveLiters