NASA to send new toilet worth $23 Million to space on Oct 1; here's how it works

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on September 25 announced the launch of its new space toilet worth $23 million for the future missions to the moon and mars. In a press release by NASA, it said that the agency is working on setting up a Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) on the International Space Station (ISS) by September 29 on the Northrop Grumman's 14th contract resupply mission. The new UWMS will be installed in Orion for the Artemis II flight test. 

Here's how space toilet works

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir in the press release said, “We recycle about 90% of all water-based liquids on the space station, including urine and sweat. We recycle about 90% of all water-based liquids on the space station, including urine and sweat”.

The UWMS has been designed using the central design concept so that it can be integrated into different spacecraft and life support systems. The regenerative system of the UWMS will recycle the pre-treated urine into the water for further use. Also, it could simply be stored for disposal during the shorter missions, such as the Artemis II. The new UWMS is said to be 65% smaller and 40% lighter than the toilet currently in use on the space station and it can also support larger crews. 

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(Credits: NASA)

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(A team member demonstrates lifting the urine hose out of its cradled position. Credit: NASA)

Usually, when there is no gravity, space toilets use air flow to pull urine and feces away from the body. However, the new feature of the UWMS allows the automatic start of air flow when the toilet lid is lifted. This feature also helps in controlling the odour. According to NASA, the UWMS are “corrosion-resistant, durable parts to reduce the likelihood of maintenance outside of the set schedule”. NASA also added that less time on plumbing means more time on science and other tasks. A 3D-printed titanium dual-fan separator on the units was designed by Collins Aerospace to control the airflow. 

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(For privacy, the toilet is located inside of a stall just like in a public restroom on Earth. Credits: NASA)

According to the reports by Space.com, expedition 63 astronauts, Chris Cassidy and Ivan Vagner have started preparing for the delivery of space toilets. NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Logistics Reduction project manager Melissa McKinley, said during the press conference, “The toilet was designed for exploration and it builds on previous spaceflight toilet design”. She added, “The big key to the exploration piece of the design is looking to optimize mass volume and power usage, which are all very important components of a spacecraft design”. 

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(Image Credits: NASA)