Watch the launch of Artemis II, NASA’s first manned moon mission in 50 years.
Artemis II has been officially released. This is NASA’s first manned moon mission in more than 50 years.
NASA said the crew of the Artemis II mission resolved an issue with the ship’s toilet system shortly after launching into space on April 1.
The astronauts worked with NASA’s mission control team in Houston to restore the Orion spacecraft’s toilet to “normal operation” after a problem occurred after launch, the agency announced.
NASA said in a blog post that before performing an engine maneuver known as an apogee ascent burn on April 1, the crew “reported flashing fault lights” related to the toilet system.
“The control team successfully evaluated the data and worked with the crew to troubleshoot and resolve the issue,” the agency said.
At a post-launch press conference, NASA Deputy Administrator Amit Kshatriya described the problem as a “problem with the toilet controller.”
The Artemis II crew of four embarked on a historic space mission aimed at returning astronauts to the moon’s surface for the first time since the Apollo program ended more than 50 years ago.
How does the Artemis II toilet work?
The Orion spacecraft toilet is known as the Universal Waste Management System.
The restrooms are equipped with separate rooms for privacy and ergonomic toilet seats. The toilet itself consists of a compact titanium vacuum-based toilet that uses suction to draw waste into separate containers for urine and feces.
In a video from the Canadian Space Agency, Artemis II mission specialist Jeremy Hansen said the system uses a hose to collect urine, which is ejected into space several times a day.
The feces is sucked into a bag at the bottom of the toilet bowl. Once the bag is capped, it will be pushed into a canister and returned to Earth with the crew, Hansen said.
“As a crew member, we’re pretty lucky to have a toilet with a door on this little spacecraft. It’s the only place you can go during the mission, and you can actually feel alone for a moment,” Hansen said in the video.
The crew of Artemis II was the first to install a toilet system on a spacecraft orbiting the moon. Modern space toilets were not available on the Apollo missions, so the crew used plastic bags to collect waste.
Contributors: Jennifer Borresen, Ramon Padilla, Shawn J. Sullivan
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
