NASA puts rush order on space toilet fix

[thomasallencummins]

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24859800

NASA puts rush order on space toilet fix
Replacement part shipped from Russia for delivery on shuttle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA rushed Wednesday to get a special pump on board the shuttle Discovery to fix a balky toilet at the international space station, even as the launch countdown got under way.

The space station’s Russian-built toilet has been acting up for the past week. The three male residents have temporarily bypassed the problem, which involves urine collection and not solid waste.

Russian space officials are providing the pump to launch aboard Discovery on Saturday. The shuttle’s seven astronauts arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center a few hours ahead of the start of the countdown Wednesday afternoon.

Nice to see that NASA has it's priorities in order. Imagine being in ORBIT and suffering like you would the morning after eating 3 burritos and 4 extra spicy tacos and then discovering the toilet is broken. You can't just open a window and take care of the problem. Good news that the lew will be quickly on the mend! ;D

[ram]

This makes me think they're going to have to improve the reliability of space toilets before any manned mission to Mars.

[thomasallencummins]

Looks like they are gettin 'er fixed. Seems the toilet pump was provided by the Russians. :-)

[prorider514]

thats the place you wanna have your toilet break

[thomasallencummins]

Jun 23, 2008 9:12:46 GMT -5 prorider514 said:

thats the place you wanna have your toilet break

That's a fact, kid. That's a fact.

[ram]

In space? Or in Russia?

[Avatar]

Uh...that's loo Tom.

--A

[thomasallencummins]

I am of course familiar with the term however I've never been sure how to spell it. Thanks much AV. :-)