Artemis II astronauts talk mission toilet troubles: "We made do"
Summary
The Artemis II astronauts explained how they dealt with a broken toilet during their mission around the moon. They used backup plastic urinals while engineers fixed the toilet by warming a frozen vent to space.Key Facts
- The Artemis II mission faced toilet problems from day one, including a frozen vent line that blocked waste disposal.
- NASA flight controllers warmed the vent by turning the spacecraft to face the sun, which helped clear the blockage.
- The crew used "contingency collapsible urinals" (CCUs) as a backup for urine collection during the toilet malfunction.
- Each astronaut had two CCUs to use, which vent waste into space later.
- The issue was discussed during a live Q&A where a 9-year-old asked about the toilet problem.
- Astronaut Christina Koch said the backup system worked well enough to maintain hygiene despite not being as convenient as the main toilet.
- Pilot Victor Glover joked about the "constellation Urion," referencing urine droplets vented in space.
- The crew also answered questions about how they stay clean in space, mentioning “floating showers.”
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