Outer space waste compaction

A waste compaction apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a drive chamber, a compaction chamber, and a fluid outlet from the compaction chamber;
• and
• a connector arm comprising a drive piston portion movably positioned within the drive chamber and a compaction piston portion movably positioned within the compaction chamber;
• a diverter valve coupled to the housing in fluidic communication with the drive chamber;
• a first conduit extending between the diverter valve and a first portion of the drive chamber, wherein the first portion of the drive chamber is at least partially defined by a first side of the drive piston portion;
• a second conduit extending between the diverter valve and a second portion of the drive chamber, the second portion of the drive chamber being defined, at least, partially a second side of the drive piston portion opposite the first side of the drive piston portion;
• a waste gas source fluidly coupled to the diverter valve, and
• a gas-liquid separator coupled to the housing in fluidic communication with the compaction chamber via the fluid outlet;
• wherein;
• the second portion of the drive chamber is selectively fluidly coupleable to a near-vacuum of outer space via the diverter valve, wherein, during compaction, the diverter valve fluidly couples the second portion of the drive chamber to the near-vacuum of outer space, and wherein, after compaction, the diverter valve directs gas from the waste gas source into the second portion of the drive chamber via the second conduit to retract the compaction piston portion of the connector arm;
• the compaction piston portion of the connector arm is configured to move within the compaction chamber to compact waste material contained within the compaction chamber in response to movement of the drive piston portion of the connector arm within the drive chamber;
• the connector arm comprises an annular configuration, with the compaction piston portion having a central plate;
• in response to compacting the waste material contained within the compaction chamber, the compaction chamber is configured to expel a waste fluid via the fluid outlet to the gas-liquid separator;
• and
• the gas-liquid separator is configured to separate the waste fluid into waste liquid and waste gas.