tender

A tender is a portable life‑support service unit used alongside space suits and compact personal upper‑stage launch modules. It serves as a hub for refilling consumables, regenerating scrubbers, and routing waste so that suit wearers can operate for extended periods.

First appearance and context

During preparations at the Caravansery of Elkhazg, trainees were introduced to a device referred to as the “tender” while learning to use new space suits and the lightweight upper stages. Instructors described and demonstrated how it supports suit operations before and during the planned ascent and rendezvous activities.

Functions and capabilities

• Reservoir and refilling station for life‑support consumables. The tender accepts color‑coded oxygen and hydrogen canisters and can refill them.
• When connected to a water bladder and an energy supply (commonly solar panels; in this context a small nuclear power source was mentioned), it electrolyzes water into oxygen and hydrogen, liquefies them, and fills any attached tanks.
• Regenerates carbon‑dioxide scrubber canisters by heating (“bakes” them). An indicator on the canister changes color when the scrubber is restored for reuse.
• Provides fittings for routing and handling waste bags from the suits.
• Centralized service hub with multiple sockets for canisters and accessories, allowing quick swap‑outs in the field.

As explained by trainers, as long as the tender is operating, suit wearers can live in the suits for an extended time.

Usage

• After swapping in a fresh CO2 scrubber, the spent scrubber is attached to the tender for regeneration.
• Suit oxygen and hydrogen canisters are refilled at the tender once connected to its production and liquefaction system.
• Waste bags from suits are attached to designated fittings on the unit.

Related equipment

• Designed to support the matte‑black space suits demonstrated during training, including their standardized oxygen/hydrogen canisters and scrubbers.
• Intended to accompany the lightweight personal upper stage (referred to colloquially as a “monyafeek”) that mates to the suit for ascent and maneuvering.

Current status

A tender was present among the equipment staged at the Caravansery of Elkhazg during training and preparation for launch and orbital operations.