New space toilet is literally open for business

William Atkins
Monday, 22 December 2008 20:18

Science - Space

The Washington Post article, mentioned on page one, discusses other facts about the new zero gravity toilet.

The solid waste goes to a holding tank, while the liquid waste is turned into drinkable (potable) water by a recycling system recently installed on the Space Station.

The recycling system is called the water recovery system (WRS), which provides drinking-quality water through the reclamation of urine and other waste water.

Kirk Shireman, NASA’s deputy space station program manager, states, “Today the toilet's just wide open, and so it's not in use just yet. Mechanically and fluid-wise, it's fully functional today." [MSNBC: “New space toilet has no door...yet”]

A photo of the new toilet appears on the MSNBC website mentioned above.

This new toilet system is the second commode to be sent to the International Space Station. A second one will be needed when the crew size is increased from three to six members starting in 2009.

Shireman added, “It's probably just an hour or two to put that thing [the curtain-like door] up and to take it down again.” [MSNBC]

Additional information on new equipment, including the new toilet system and the recycling system, delivered to the Space Station in order to accommodate an expanded crew size in 2009 is found on the NASA website “Station Prepares for Expanding Crew.”