'Directed the crew to use their...': Artemis II Flight Director shares update on toilet malfunction

NASA’s Artemis II mission faced an unexpected problem in space when the onboard toilet system stopped working properly on Day 3, forcing astronauts to use backup urine devices for a short time.

“During the night, we attempted to vent the wastewater tank attached to the toilet, but encountered issues due to a suspected blockage, likely caused by ice. We then directed the crew to use their collapsible contingency urine devices, as they did on flight day one,” Artemis II Flight Director Judd Frieling said in a press conference on Sunday.

According to report by CNN, the issue began late on Day 3 of the mission inside the Orion spacecraft, when the crew was about 200,000 miles (nearly 320,000 kilometers) from Earth.

The director said the problem was linked to waste not being able to flow out of the system.

Sunlight used to clear frozen blockage

NASA engineers tried to fix the issue by rotating the spacecraft so sunlight could warm the frozen pipe. This helped melt the ice and allowed some urine to be released into space.

At first, mission control said the toilet could only be used partly. It was declared “go” — but “for fecal use only.”

The full fix took more time as the blockage did not clear completely. Around midnight Eastern time, early into Day 4 of the mission, the crew finally got the update they were waiting for.

Earlier issue reported on Day 1

As per the report, this was not the first problem with the toilet system. Shortly after launch, on Day 1, the crew found that the toilet pump was not working. 

The issue was later traced to not enough water being added to start the pump.

“We were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be just fine. We did originally think that there could have been potentially something fouling up the motor,” NASA astronaut Christina Koch said. 

Why space toilets are critical

In space, toilets work differently as there is no gravity. They use suction and airflow to pull waste away. The Orion system separates liquid and solid waste — urine is released into space, while solid waste is stored and brought back to Earth.

While the system was not working fully, the crew used a backup device called the collapsible contingency urinal (CCU) for liquid waste.

Not the first time space toilets have failed

Problems like this have happened before. During the Apollo missions, astronauts did not have proper toilets and had to use bags. This often caused discomfort.

During Apollo 10 in 1969, astronaut Thomas Stafford reported floating waste inside the spacecraft.

A later NASA report said the fecal bag system did not work well, the crew found it unpleasant, and the smell was very strong.

Even modern spacecraft have faced similar issues. In 2021, a SpaceX Crew Dragon mission had a leak due to a loose urine tube, forcing astronauts to use backup undergarments.

“When it functions, the in-space toilet can have its advantages,” former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino said. But he added, “I really miss my toilet on Earth because it’s very involved in space, and you have to be careful and respect your friends so that you don’t leave a mess.”

(With inputs from PTI)