An earthly problem in a historical mission
The Artemis II astronauts have already traveled more than halfway to the Moon. They prepare for a historic flyby that will take them further than the Apollo crews.
But there is a drawback. A very basic issue failed again: the Orion capsule’s toilet.
“The Earth is pretty small and the Moon is definitely getting bigger,” said pilot Victor Glover from space.
While three Americans and a Canadian approach their destination to photograph the lunar far side, the so-called ‘lunar toilet’ has been experiencing problems since shortly after takeoff. It works intermittently.
Emergency solutions and technical suspicions
Until they fix it, Mission Control told them to use more backup bags to collect urine. Engineers suspect ice could be blocking a line, preventing complete discharge. At least it’s still available for solid needs.
“Space toilets and bathrooms are something that everyone can understand… it’s always a challenge,” explained Debbie Korth, deputy director of the Orion program.
Korth noted that the astronauts also reported an odor coming from the bathroom, located on the floor of the capsule with a curtain for privacy. He recalled that even the space shuttle toilet used to break down frequently.
John Honeycutt of the management team admitted that it is normal that this issue generates so much attention. Although the system is “in good shape at the moment”, I would prefer to see it at 100%.
“They’re fine,” he said of the crew. “They are trained to handle the situation.”
A record and a Canadian first
Artemis II is about to set a distance record for humans: it will travel more than 400,000 kilometers from Earth before turning around and returning. It would surpass Apollo 13.
The mission also marks history for Canada. Jeremy Hansen is the first non-US citizen to fly to the Moon.
“Today is making history for Canada,” said Lisa Campbell, president of the Canadian Space Agency. “May your journey remind us that the future is written by those who dare to aspire for more.”
Hansen, along with Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch, are the first lunar astronauts since 1972. Koch and Glover are respectively the first woman and the first black astronaut to go to the Moon.
Their nearly 10-day mission — which will conclude with a splashdown on April 10 — is just the first step. NASA plans to establish a sustainable lunar base, with a landing near the lunar south pole scheduled for 2028.
