A space habitat’s life support system must maintain oxygen, recycling 85% of it daily. If the system starts with 1,000 kg of oxygen and the crew consumes 60 kg per day, how much oxygen remains after 5 days?

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:25:49 +0000

Maintaining Oxygen in a Space Habitat: How Much Remains After 5 Days? Living in a space habitat requires a reliable life support system to sustain crew health in the harsh environment of space. One of the most critical components is the oxygen regeneration system. Without a constant supply, astronauts cannot survive. A well-designed life support system must efficiently recycle oxygen — ideally recovering at least 85% daily — to reduce the need for resupply missions. In this article, we explore the mathematics behind oxygen sustainability in a space habitat, focusing on how recovery rates impact long-term survival. With 1,000 kg of initial oxygen and daily consumption of 60 kg, we calculate the remaining oxygen after 5 days when the system recovers 85% of used oxygen daily. ---