charged ions. The entire reaction occurs within the fuel cell (Hoogers 186).
NASA needed to solve mission critical problems related to extended space flights. One of the mission critical problems was the provision of electrical power on spacecraft. A second problem was the provision of water to personnel on space flights. A number of power source alternatives proved to be unsatisfactory. Batteries were both too heavy and too toxic. Further, batteries had a finite life. Photovoltaic devices required solar panels that were both too large and too heavy. Reaching back in history, NASA selected the fuel cell. The primary deficiency of fuel cell technology was its cost of application. Cost, however, was not an issue in the race to the moon. The risks associated with the hydrogen and oxygen required for the application of fuel cell technology were relatively insign
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