The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday and have now made it past the halfway mark on their journey to the moon. However, an issue has arisen that’s quite familiar.
This marks the second malfunction of Orion’s toilet since their launch. “Overnight, we tried to vent the waste water tank connected to the toilet but ran into a suspected blockage, probably due to ice. So, we instructed the crew to use a collapsible emergency urination device for the night,” said Judd Freeling, the Artemis II flight director, during a press conference on Saturday.
Interestingly, astronauts faced a similar situation on the first day of their mission. After takeoff, the lunar toilet broke down, and it seems the problems persist.
Debbie Korth, deputy director of NASA’s Orion program, reassured that the toilets remain operational. “This is a test flight. We understand how these systems interact, but we ensure they function and have backup options to carry out the mission,” she explained.
Nasa confirmed that astronauts can still use the toilet for solid waste disposal.
Toilets and bathrooms in space, as Korth pointed out, are always a challenge that resonates with everyone. John Honeycutt, head of the mission management team, noted that the public’s interest in what happens with Orion’s toilets is a reflection of “a bit of humanity.”
Astronauts also reported a peculiar smell coming from the capsule’s bathroom floor. In addressing the issue, astronaut Christina Koch mentioned, “We wanted to keep tabs on the records regarding the burning heater smell emanating from the toilet.”
As they orbit the moon, Orion is set to return to Earth on Monday.
