Water Purification Devices Inducted into Space Technology Hall of Fame

The Space Foundation announced that the Microbial Check Valve (MCV) and Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron (EZVI) are the 2007 inductees into the prestigious Space Technology Hall of Fame. The organizations and individuals who developed and adapted these important and innovative technologies will be recognized on April 12 at the 23rd National Space Symposium in Colorado Spring, Colo.

The Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, established the Space Technology Hall of Fame to increase public awareness of the benefits that result from space exploration programs and to encourage further innovation.

The Microbial Check Valve (MCV), an iodine-based disinfection system, is the core for water purification systems now deployed in rural areas and developing countries around the world. The MCV system was originally developed for NASA to provide advanced water purification for the space shuttle and eventually the International Space Station (ISS). The Water Security Corporation now provides MCV systems to developing countries where the lack of safe drinking water is a serious health concern.

Recipients of the MCV system include earthquake refugees in Pakistan, villagers in northern Iraq, and the people of rural Sabana San Juan, Dominican Republic.

The Water Security Corporation, Sparks, Nev.; Umpqua Research, Myrtle Creek, Ore.; and NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, will be inducted as the innovating organizations behind the MCV technology.

Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron (EZVI) technology was originally developed to clean up pollution at the Kennedy Space Center caused by chlorinated solvents used to clean Apollo rocket parts. This technology is now used at both government and private industry cleanup sites. EZVI is a cost effective technology used to clean ground water contaminated by dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs).

EZVI was also recognized as NASA's Government Invention of the Year and Commercial Invention of the Year in 2005. NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Fla.; Weston Solutions, West Chester, Pa.; GeoSyntec, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and the University of Central Florida, Orlando; will be inducted as the innovating organizations responsible for EZVI technology.

This year, 14 individuals will be inducted and three will receive commendations for their work. Funding sources behind the inductee technologies will also receive commendations for their roles. The Space Technology Hall of Fame honorees will be recognized at the 23rd National Space Symposium in a Private Induction ceremony, co-sponsored by Cisco Systems; and at the Space Technology Hall of Fame dinner, co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin. A complete list of all Space Technology Hall of Fame inducted technologies and innovating organizations and individuals can be found online at www.SpaceTechHallofFame.org.

Source: Space Foundation