Hydromars AB is a Swedish science-based deep-tech company that develops a circular water system for deep space missions.

Based on proprietary technology from its parent company, Hydromars uses a pioneering unit operation that will make it possible to perform the recycling of wastewater in the spaceship; achieving complete recovery and 100% clean water.

Hydromars’s product comprises three basic steps: removal of volatiles by degasification, extraction of ultra-pure water via hydrophobic membranes, and separation of water from the resulting brine/sludge by evaporation/crystallization. This results in the complete recycling of any kind of wastewater in a simple and affordable way facilitating deep space missions and reducing water costs.

The technology concept used by Hydromars has been tested for the treatment of municipal and several industrial wastewaters, desalination, and the concentration of brine in cooperation with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Demo units have been tested in Greece, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. After a ten-year endurance test, tools have been manufactured in 2022 and the core component is under testing. The next step is to test it in reduced gravity.

By solving challenges for space, Hydromars also aims to contribute to the long-term survival on Earth through a spin-off, especially where achieved know-how from space can be used to market or create products comprising closed-loop solutions in harsh conditions.