Boldly Go! NASA’s New Space Toilet Is on Its Way to the Space Station – Here’s How It Works

[Disir]

It’s the space-age old question: how do astronauts go to the bathroom in space? The most basic human biological processes becomes challenging off-planet due in part to the lack of gravity.


NASA launched a new space toilet, the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 14th contract resupply mission. Another UWMS unit will be installed in Orion for the Artemis II flight test that will send astronauts on a 10-day mission beyond the Moon and back.

The “Universal” in UWMS is key: the central design concept can be easily integrated into different spacecraft and life support systems. On platforms like the space station where astronauts live and work for extended time periods, UWMS will feed pre-treated urine into a regenerative system, which recycles water for further use. For shorter duration missions, like Artemis II, UWMS also works with a system where waste is not pre-treated with chemicals and is simply stored for disposal.

Boldly Go! NASA’s New Space Toilet Is on Its Way to the Space Station – Here's How It Works

It’s the space-age old question: how do astronauts go to the bathroom in space? The most basic human biological processes becomes challenging off-planet due in part to the lack of gravity. NASA launched a new space toilet, the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), to the International Spa

scitechdaily.com

Ewwww. I can't unread it. You can't either.

 

[ImAlwaysRight]

Oh no, say it ain't so!

 

[22lcidw]

Do they test that toilet on earth?....Did NASA put an ad in the papers for volunteers to evacuate their bowels into this new unit?

 

[LuckyDuck]

I can tell you what I'd want for a toilet that costs $23,000,000.
1. Be made of solid gold.
2. Be extremely comfortable to sit on.
3. Wipe my derriere for me.
4. Gently wash my derriere with warm water.
5. Dry blow my derriere.
6. Act like some of those recliners that rise you up and forward to assist you out of it.
7. Self clean so I don't have to clean it.
8. Be uncloggable.
9. Play soothing music or hold a magazine while I sit.