Artemis II Crew Discusses Toilet Troubles and Hygiene

The Artemis II crew recently shared their experiences dealing with toilet issues during their mission around the moon. Speaking live on “CBS Mornings,” they answered questions from children and offered insight into how they handled these challenges.

Plumbing problems became a major concern at the start of the Artemis mission. The crew faced intermittent toilet troubles as soon as the mission began. An initial issue with the system’s fan was resolved, but the vent line responsible for expelling waste into space froze. This prevented the waste tank from emptying. NASA flight controllers addressed the problem by re-orienting the Orion capsule, allowing sunlight to thaw the vent line and clear the blockage.

During a Friday morning town hall, 9-year-old Bridget posed a humorous yet practical question about how the crew managed the broken toilet: “What did you do when the toilet broke? Did you just let it fly around?” This question led to laughter from both the astronauts and the audience.

Mission specialist Christina Koch responded by explaining that the crew used backup systems to maintain hygiene. “Everything on the spaceship usually has a backup system, so luckily the engineers planned for that and we used our backup system,” said Koch. “We got through it. It wasn’t as easy as our fancy, good toilet, but we made do.”

The backup involved using “contingency collapsible urinals” (CCUs). These plastic containers collected urine and allowed it to be vented into space later. Each crew member had two CCUs. According to CBS News, astronaut Don Pettit noted on X that CCUs serve as a replacement for around 25 pounds of diapers. They allow waste water to be vented overboard independent of the toilet.

Pilot Victor Glover added some humor to the discussion, joking that, “with the challenges we had, we were constantly thinking about the constellation Urion,” referring to frozen urine droplets left in space after venting.

Hygiene in space raised more questions during the town hall. “CBS Mornings” anchor Gayle King asked the astronauts about their cleaning routines: “How do you stay clean up there? Showers, birdbaths?”

Koch replied, “I think showers in space are great. Floating, water.” This insight highlights the unique methods astronauts use to stay clean in space.

For more details, watch the full episode titled, “Things That Matter: A Town Hall with the Artemis Astronauts.”