Ampule, Buffer, Apollo 11

Object Details

Manufacturer

Unknown

Summary

To insure that drinking water during the Apollo missions did not become contaminated with microorganisms, chemical disinfectants were periodically injected into the water supply by the astronauts. A chlorine solution was used for the Command Module. The chlorine (sodium hypochlorite diluted to 1860 mg/L) was contained in 20 cc cylindrical ampules. 20 minutes before water was consumed, the ampule was inserted into the water tank. Immediately afterward, a second ampule, like this one, containing a buffer (sodium dihydrogen phosphate), to neutralize the pH of the water, and an inhibitor (sodium nitrate), to slow corrosion, was inserted. After waiting the 20 additional minutes for the chemicals to disperse throughout the tank, the water was potable.

This buffer ampule was flown on Apollo 11 Command Module and was returned unused. It was transferred from NASA to the Smithsonian along with the rest of the contents of the Command Module in 1970.

Credit Line

Transferred from the NASA - Johnson Space Center

Inventory Number

A19700102152

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

SPACECRAFT-Crewed-Life Support

Materials

Plastic

Coating

Synthetic

Exterior: Hard-case Teflon

Contents: sodium dihydrogen phosphate

Dimensions

3-D: 3.5 × 3.5 × 7.6cm (1 3/8 × 1 3/8 × 3 in., 0.1lb.)

Country of Origin

United States of America

See more items in

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location

National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

Exhibition

Destination Moon

Title

Ampule, Buffer, Apollo 11

National Air and Space Museum

Record ID

nasm_A19700102152

Metadata Usage (text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9cd18fe7a-5ae2-4f8b-a7e7-900ad83c7853