NASA has confirmed that a toilet issue on the Orion spacecraft, intended for the Artemis II mission, has been resolved. The problem, initially identified as a blinking fault light, was addressed by the crew in collaboration with mission control in Houston.

Toilet Troubleshoot Ahead of Historic Flight

The issue surfaced during initial system checks, prompting NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya to acknowledge a “controller issue” during a press conference on Wednesday. Kshatriya explained that troubleshooting the problem would likely take “a few hours.” The toilet is set to be the first of its kind used in deep space.

Restored to Normal Operations

A NASA update released early Thursday morning confirmed the successful restoration of the toilet to normal operations. “The Artemis II crew, working closely with mission control in Houston, were able to restore the Orion spacecraft’s toilet to normal operations,” the statement read. This ensures the 10-day mission around the moon will proceed without the need for alternative waste management procedures.

Mission Details and Backup Plans

The Artemis II mission, crewed by astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, is the first flight of Orion with humans on board. The mission is a crucial step towards future Artemis missions, including a planned moon landing attempt in 2028.

While the toilet fix was a priority, NASA had contingency plans in place. Katherine Plaza, who works on Orion crew survival systems, explained the “off-nominal waste management system.” This system includes spacesuits equipped with an external hose for urine disposal, venting it directly into space.

A History of In-Space Waste Management

Plaza also detailed how solid waste would be contained within the suit, with systems in place to manage odors and gases. This represents a significant advancement from early spaceflights. Prior to Alan Shepard’s first American spaceflight in 1961, astronauts were instructed to relieve themselves directly within their spacesuits if necessary.

The Artemis II crew completed a four-hour nap after their work and are preparing for a trans-lunar injection burn on Thursday night. The mission will bring them within 6,000 miles of the moon this weekend before returning to Earth.