Space engineering focuses on the design of technical solutions for deep Space exploration. The main requirements, particularly in long-duration manned missions, deal with the minimization of the volume, weight, power consumption and cost. In addition, safe procedures are essential. These issues can be optimally addressed by Membrane technologies. Membrane engineering has demonstrated on Earth several advantages in the logic of Process Intensification related to the intrinsic low footprint, modularity, high efficiency and low energy consumption.

Space exploration offers new opportunities for science and technology. Great efforts are devoted towards innovative solutions that could be also useful for our daily life.

Significant challenges already tackled by membrane operations such as water desalination, separation of small molecules such as gases, can be translated to solve special challenges of Space missions. Membrane modules can be applied to supply freshwater and energy, as well as to the management of wastes and for the atmosphere cleaning that are among the most urgent needs in human spacecrafts.

This review discusses the membrane share in the Space engineering, starting from successful applications on Earth and focusing on water treatment and on CO₂ separation and conversion, addressing also In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) applications in extra-terrestrial environments.

太空工程专注于深空探测技术解决方案的设计。主要要求，特别是在长期有人值守任务中，要求将体积，重量，功耗和成本降至最低。另外，安全的程序是必不可少的。这些问题可以通过膜技术得到最佳解决。膜工程学已在地球上证明了过程强化逻辑中的多项优势，这些优势与固有的低足迹，模块化，高效和低能耗有关。

太空探索为科学和技术提供了新的机会。致力于创新的解决方案，这些解决方案也可能对我们的日常生活有用。

膜操作已解决的重大挑战，例如水脱盐，分离小分子（例如气体），可以转化为解决太空任务的特殊挑战。膜组件可用于供应淡水和能源，以及废物管理和大气清洁，这是人类航天器最迫切的需求之一。

这篇综述讨论了太空工程中的膜份额，从在地球上的成功应用开始，着重于水处理以及CO _2的分离和转化，还解决了陆地外环境中的原位资源利用（ISRU）应用。