Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Urine Trouble, SpaceX




News Item: SpaceX's Toilet Troubles

It seems that mega billionaire Elon Musk needs to flush out problems with the toilets in SpaceX capsules before the next launch. According to the AP:

"The company and NASA want to make sure the toilet leaks won’t compromise the capsule launching early Sunday from Kennedy Space Center or another one that’s been parked at the International Space Station since April.

During SpaceX’s first private flight last month, a tube came unglued, spilling urine onto fans and beneath the floor, said William Gerstenmaier, a SpaceX vice president who used to work for NASA. The same problem was recently discovered inside the Dragon capsule at the space station, he told reporters Monday night." (snip)

SpaceX is conducting tests to make sure the spilled liquid didn’t weaken the orbiting capsule during the past six months, Gerstenmaier said. Any structural damage could endanger astronauts during their flight back to Earth next month. The final tests should be completed later this week, he noted."  (our emphasis)

Bet the space travelers were wondering why they got this unwanted golden shower, distributed by fans no less. At least the company is testing to make sure the leaked pee didn't corrode the capsules for Musk's next vicarious ego trip, because that would really...tick him off.

(photo: Getty Images/INF photo)