They say that “everything is fair game”, but nobody imagined that in the most important mission of the decade, the astronauts’ greatest enemy would not be an asteroid or solar radiation, but… the toilet! the toilet! This Monday, while the world was celebrating that the Orion capsule reached lunar orbit, from the Control Center in Houston came a sharp and somewhat uncomfortable order: “Do not use the toilet”.
The instruction was clear and direct from astronaut Jenny Gibbons, who serves as the ground contact: “Use the collapsible contingency urinals”. Yes, you read that right. The four history-making space heroes now have to resort to emergency “baggies” because the high-tech toilet, which cost NASA a modest $23 million, simply decided not to cooperate.
Problems in the bathroom of Artemis II
When you get sent to the Moon but the first problem is the toilet! 🚀🚽😅 When the Artemis II mission was just beginning its journey to the Moon, an unexpected problem occurred, the fan in the Orion spacecraft’s waste system got stuck. Although it wasn’t serious, the astronauts and the… pic.twitter.com/PZdOf8Vj3X
– adn Noticias (@adnnoticiasmx) April 4, 2026
The logistical nightmare began almost from takeoff on April 1.
First it was a clogged fan; then astronaut Christina Koch had to pull out her space plumbing skills to try to fix it by following radio instructions.
Although it seemed to work for a moment, their enjoyment was short-lived.
Flight director Judd Frieling revealed over the weekend what the primary suspicion for the failure is: frozen urine.
Apparently, debris froze in the vent line, completely blocking the system.
But that’s not the worst of it.
To add drama to the situation, the crew reported a “burning smell” coming from the hygiene compartment.
Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen described the aroma as “unfamiliar and strange,” which set off alarm bells for technicians in Houston.
Danger at heights?
Approaching the near side of the Moon.
The Artemis II astronauts have surpassed the record for the distance from Earth at 1:56 ET (1756 UTC). This record was previously set during the Apollo 13 mission when the astronauts traveled 248,655 miles from Earth. The Moon continues to… pic.twitter.com/OapAGgGMex
– NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 6, 2026
Fortunately, NASA has come out to calm things down by assuring that, although the smell is annoying and the bathroom situation is “temperamental,” the safety of the crew is not at risk.
Debbie Korth, agency spokesperson, explained that they checked all power and heating sensors and found no electrical anomalies.
“Space toilets are always a challenge, it’s something everyone can understand,” Korth commented with a touch of humor to ease the tension.
And he’s right: handling fluids in zero gravity is one of the most complex tasks in space engineering, and even the best ones can get clogged up.
The final stretch without luxuries
🚀 This is what the bathroom of Artemis II looks like inside
🚻 Astronaut Christina Koch shows how one of the most curious and essential systems on the spacecraft works pic.twitter.com/Z7UmeWuTF8– AstroAventura (@AstroAventura) April 3, 2026
Despite having to use the contingency devices (which are basically portable containers), the astronauts remain in good spirits.
They have completed their flyby of the far side of the Moon and are ready to begin their return to Earth this Tuesday.
On Friday, April 10, they are expected to make their plunge into the Pacific Ocean, where the first thing they will probably ask for when they get out of the capsule – besides a hamburger – will be a real bath.
Can you imagine holding your breath or wearing a bag while looking out the window at the moon?
Filed under: Bathroom problems Artemis II
