US space superloo claps out NASA's deluxe International Space Station toilet clapped out yesterday, meaning the 13 astronauts currently aboard the orbiting outpost will temporarily have to share the Russian "Waste Management System" and space shuttle Endeavour's facilities. The US toilet aboard the ISS. Pic: NASA The agency explains that Mike Barratt …
We all eat & drink. We all pee & poop.
This is true[1] wherever people are, even when exploring.
Instead of trying to make the ISS toilet & water recycling facilities it into a ::teehee:: RedTop[tm] thingie, how about going into detail on how it works, and how it's broken?
Grow up, already. This shit is kinda important, if you will.
[1] Yes, I know, some folks have issues with basic input & output. They are probably not going to see the inside of the ISS anytime soon ... Not trying to disenfranchise anyone, just being realistic.
Jake said - Instead of trying to make the ISS toilet & water recycling facilities it into a ::teehee:: RedTop[tm] thingie, how about going into detail on how it works, and how it's broken?
The article said - "The parts likely were contaminated earlier today when the system’s dose pump failed after running for about 15 minutes. The pump introduces the correct amount of chemicals into the system to help separate liquids from solid waste. About six litres of pre-treated water may have flowed into the pump separator and other areas it does not belong, flooding the separator."
Can we have a RTFA (Read The F**king Article) icon please Reg?
But you missed an important bit, reported elsewhere.
They also can't use the shuttle's bog at full capacity and were rather banking on the ISS's porcelain facilities being up to snuff.
The reason?
The crapper on the shuttle empties into a waste tank. Said waste tank then gets flushed into the great unknown when full. In a shocking design pig's ear, if this is done when docked the delicate scientific instrument cluster on the Japanese* Kibo lab gets a liberal coating of sewage.
So, no flushing the bog when the shuttle's standing at the station.
*The first person to mention the involvement of the eminent Chinese scientist Huflung Poo here gets a fat lip.
I mean designing a working space-loo that can reclaim the vast amount of the water is quite a feat of engineering. Hats off to the guys who designed it.
But how hard can it be to test the damn thing? Run it upside-down, spin it around in a centrifuge while running it, stick it in a nosediving plane, whatever- just make sure that whatever oddball forces or lack-of-forces are applied to it it'll not fail. It's not like it's operating in an unknown atmosphere or with experimental materials or what have you. Whatever it costs to test it properly will surely be less than the cost of sending another shuttle mission up to sort it out.
Alternatively send up another shuttle with a shipment of duct tape and WD40.
"Uh, Houston- this was more of an 'FYI' call... we're pretty much out the door."
Alex: I swear I read something different than the current article ... But I was kinda out of kilter early yesterday morning. Our many-years-of-breeding stud colt decided to get a case of testosterone poisoning about four months early last night. He tried to mount his mother. She kicked the shit out of him, requiring over 200 stitches. She was a good girl and didn't kill him or break any bones ... GAWD/ESS, but I love a good brood mare! Hopefully he'll mind his manors from here on out ...
Dork: I ain't English. Or maybe that was your point :-)
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