The only toilet on the U.S. crewed lunar flyby mission spacecraft experiences a sudden malfunction, and American astronauts reveal "emergency procedures"

Ask AI · How does this toilet malfunction reflect the test-flight challenges of the Artemis 2 mission?

【Global Times report, reporter Li Ziyu】“When you encounter a toilet malfunction in cislunar space, you need contingency measures.” According to a report by UK Sky News, on the 4th local time, NASA astronaut Don Pettit posted, revealing details that after a malfunction occurred in the toilet of the “Orion” spacecraft during the crewed circumlunar flight mission “Artemis 2,” the astronauts had to use a foldable emergency urination device.

On the 4th local time, an image of the foldable emergency urination device shared by Pettit in his post. Photo source: Pettit’s social media account on X

That day, Pettit wrote on the social platform X that after the toilet malfunction, foldable emergency urination devices had already been put into use in the “Artemis 2” mission. He explained that the device is essentially a reusable, sealable, and emptyable open container that uses capillary force to control the contact between urine and air—“just like my space cup controlling the coffee liquid.”

“When you encounter a toilet malfunction in cislunar space, you need contingency measures, and the foldable emergency urination device can replace the need for about 25 pounds (11.3 kilograms) of heavy disposable diapers.” Pettit added.

After several delays, at around 18:35 on April 1 Eastern Time, with a deafening roar and orange flames, the “Space Launch System” carrying the “Orion” spacecraft lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The BBC said that at a news briefing after the launch, a worrying situation emerged: the only toilet onboard the “Orion” spacecraft malfunctioned. In addition, the astronauts also found some other minor issues with the spacecraft. The minor electronic equipment malfunctions that occurred on “Artemis 1” happened again. Commentators said these problems do not pose threats to the mission, but they highlight that the “Artemis 2” mission is, to a large extent, a test flight.

It is understood that the United States announced its “Artemis” lunar program in 2019 and completed the “Artemis 1” uncrewed circumlunar flight test mission in November 2022. “Artemis 2” is the program’s first crewed mission, and it is also the first time since the end of the 1972 U.S. Apollo 17 lunar mission that the United States has sent a crewed spacecraft to the Moon.