A strange smell reported by astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission while traveling to the moon has been traced back to the rocket’s toilets. Christina Koch, one of the four crew members on the NASA mission, raised concerns after detecting a ‘kind of burning heater smell’ coming from the lavatory on multiple occasions.
On the ground, mission control suggested that the source of the smell might be the insulation on the door to the toilet, known as a hygiene bay or the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS). Despite this theory, the crew did not believe it to be the cause, but they have been cleared to continue using the lavatory for now.
This is not the first issue reported with the Orion spacecraft’s waste management system. Shortly after the mission began, a blinking fault light was observed in the toilet, raising concerns that the fan had jammed. This problem was later resolved by Ms. Koch with assistance from mission controllers in Houston.
Ms. Koch, who describes herself as the ‘space plumber’ on board, emphasized the importance of the toilet, calling it ‘probably the most important piece of equipment onboard.’ She explained that the issue was likely due to the system sitting for an extended period and needing time to warm up, which she referred to as a priming issue.
The situation is still under evaluation, but mission controllers do not consider it a major concern. Ms. Koch is accompanied by Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover on the 10-day journey.
NASA has confirmed that the Orion spacecraft is more than halfway to the moon, where it will conduct a flyby of the natural satellite. On Saturday afternoon, the crew members were surprised to be woken up by the sound of “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan.
So far, two planned ‘course corrections’ have been canceled—brief engine burns meant to keep the capsule on the correct trajectory. Instead, a check is being conducted on the capsule’s wastewater disposal system, following the fact that Orion was only able to dispose of three percent of its wastewater last night.
Orion is equipped with a five-cubic-foot toilet specifically designed for use in microgravity. It is located under the floor near the main hatch, hidden behind a curtain. The toilet’s flush is so loud that crew members must wear ear protection when using it.
Solid waste is stored onboard in odor-controlled canisters, while pre-treated urine is disposed of overboard daily. However, if the UWMS fails, the astronauts would have to rely on Collapsible Contingency Urinal bags, which are thrown into space through designated chutes.
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