Space Tourists Have A Problem Using Toilets In Zero-G
Private astronauts on the International Space Station are having difficulty adjusting to zero-gravity toilets.
Gizmodo reports that the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) crew aboard the International Space Station is settled in after getting a crash course on how to engage in everyday activities on the orbiting lab. In addition to learning about food prep and emergency protocols, the crew learned how to handle the most critical of emergencies aside from fires and pressure leaks. We’re talking, of course, about the ultimate form of pressure relief in zero gravity, which would be a trip to the space toilet.
The Ax-2 crew consists of Axiom Space director of Human Spaceflight Peggy Whitson, who is accompanied by mission specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi along with pilot John Shnoffner. These four crew members are experiencing orbit for the first time on this space mission and will spend around eight days on board the International Space Station while conducting research on the effects of microgravity on the production of stem cells, among other experiments. Not only did they learn how to use the space toilet and engage in other “hygiene practices” such as showering, but the Ax-2 crew was also clued into emergency protocols which involved locating fire extinguishers and portable breathing gear and getting familiarized with the appropriate escape routes should a non bathroom-related incident occur.
The space toilet in question is no ordinary toilet and operates using a series of tubes for both solid and liquid waste. On Earth, it’s common to doom-scroll on your phone while waiting for nature to run its course, but no such luxury exists on the International Space Station. Astronauts need their hands and feet to anchor themselves onto the toilet with handles and foot holds so they don’t float off during such a critical “landing mission.”
Though modern technology has brought us so many scientific marvels in the form of medical and aeronautical advancements, space toilet technology is still an issue for NASA. In fact, Axiom’s first mission to the International Space Station saw the space toilets going out of order which required assistance from the Russians, who were said to be quite accommodating despite a certain lack of diplomatic flexibility on planet Earth. We can’t think of a better form of peace offering than letting somebody use the restroom when they’re so far from home.
Private companies have also cited similar issues with their space toilets that they have yet to overcome. SpaceX had a structural breach in 2021 when the space toilet tubes took a leak of their own, contaminating the floor of the Inspiration4 spacecraft. This improper disposal of waste was not noticed until the vehicle got back to Earth when contamination was discovered underneath the flooring.
Next time you’re at a county fair or a concert venue, you should thank your lucky stars that you can still relieve yourself the good old-fashioned way. The fact of the matter is that engineering a 100 percent efficient space toilet is a lot harder than it sounds. But all difficulties aside, outer space bathroom incidents in 2023 are much easier to deal with than the infamous 1969 Apollo 10 mission in which the crew had to capture a foreign object in zero gravity that was aptly described as “a turd floating through the air.”
The Axiom crew is daring to “go where no man has gone before,” and we hope that their short trip to outer space is one that is remembered for its stunning sights rather than its smell.
