In the tense final hours before NASA's astronauts flew into space, a series of technical issues threatened to ground their landmark mission. A faulty toilet and issues involving two safety systems were reported over the radio. NASA managed to resolve the problems by being 'quick on their feet', an official later said. The Artemis II crew are now hurtling around the Earth's orbit, carrying out final tests and checks before they head towards the Moon.
The crew quickly discovered that even a trip to the Moon comes with very down-to-earth plumbing problems. Sensors in the spacecraft's waste-management system threw up some readings they did not expect, according to flight controllers. Astronaut Christina Koch reportedly acted as a plumber, dismantling parts of the toilet under instruction from mission control. 'Happy to report that toilet is go for use,' mission control later said over the radio. 'We do recommend letting the system get to operating speed before donating fluid'. The lack of gravity in space means waste management is a key issue in space travel.
NASA has spent more than $23m (£17.4m) developing the 'Universal Waste Management System'. Both men and women are able to use the system, which includes a funnel attached to a hose to process urine while using gentle airflow to eliminate spills. A specialised seat allows for stools to be sucked into a sealed container, with tethers and restraints being used to stop the crew from floating away. The Orion spacecraft also has plenty of backup options, from alternative collection bags to different ways of routing liquids.
Additionally, issues were reported with the flight termination system and the launch abort system - two safety systems that protect astronauts and the public. The flight termination system allows engineers on the ground to destroy the rocket if it veers off course. It reportedly had a communications issue, which was resolved by using hardware from the previous Space Shuttle programme. With these issues resolved, the countdown clock was held at 10 minutes while engineers went through final preparations.
'We go for all humanity,' Commander Reid Wiseman responded as the rocket launched into the sky, to the awe of those watching at the Kennedy Space Centre and around the world. Now in Earth's orbit, the crew will spend hours trying to break their spacecraft on purpose, testing systems as they prepare for their journey to the Moon.
The crew quickly discovered that even a trip to the Moon comes with very down-to-earth plumbing problems. Sensors in the spacecraft's waste-management system threw up some readings they did not expect, according to flight controllers. Astronaut Christina Koch reportedly acted as a plumber, dismantling parts of the toilet under instruction from mission control. 'Happy to report that toilet is go for use,' mission control later said over the radio. 'We do recommend letting the system get to operating speed before donating fluid'. The lack of gravity in space means waste management is a key issue in space travel.
NASA has spent more than $23m (£17.4m) developing the 'Universal Waste Management System'. Both men and women are able to use the system, which includes a funnel attached to a hose to process urine while using gentle airflow to eliminate spills. A specialised seat allows for stools to be sucked into a sealed container, with tethers and restraints being used to stop the crew from floating away. The Orion spacecraft also has plenty of backup options, from alternative collection bags to different ways of routing liquids.
Additionally, issues were reported with the flight termination system and the launch abort system - two safety systems that protect astronauts and the public. The flight termination system allows engineers on the ground to destroy the rocket if it veers off course. It reportedly had a communications issue, which was resolved by using hardware from the previous Space Shuttle programme. With these issues resolved, the countdown clock was held at 10 minutes while engineers went through final preparations.
'We go for all humanity,' Commander Reid Wiseman responded as the rocket launched into the sky, to the awe of those watching at the Kennedy Space Centre and around the world. Now in Earth's orbit, the crew will spend hours trying to break their spacecraft on purpose, testing systems as they prepare for their journey to the Moon.
