It turns out that even at 17,500 mph, the one thing you really can’t leave behind is a working bathroom. NASA’s Artemis II mission – humanity’s first crewed lunar trip in over fifty years – nearly had its launch delayed not by rocket science, but by a fault in the spacecraft’s toilet.
In the hours before the crew left Earth, sensors in the Orion spacecraft’s waste-management system threw up unexpected readings. With launch rapidly approaching, astronaut Christina Koch reportedly rolled up her sleeves and dismantled part of the toilet unit herself, guided remotely by mission control. A plumber by necessity, an astronaut by trade.
Mission control’s eventual verdict, delivered over the radio with admirable composure: ‘Toilet is go for use.’ They also advised the crew to let the system reach operating speed before, as they put it, ‘donating fluid.’
For context, NASA spent over $23 million developing the Universal Waste Management System. The unit handles both liquid and solid waste in zero gravity using airflow, a funnel-and-hose arrangement, and a specialised sealed seat. Restraints are also included, though not for the reason you might expect: they’re there to stop the crew floating away mid-use.
The good news: the crew fixed it, launched successfully, and are now returning to Earth after seeing parts of Moon ‘no human has ever seen’.
Facts in this piece are drawn from BBC News reporting by Esme Stallard and Tom Bennett. Read their full Artemis II coverage at bbc.com/news.
Photo Credit: NASA/Brandon Hancock