Toilet breaks down on crowded International Space Station

Toilet breaks down on crowded International Space Station

uk.reuters.com

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station used a pair of robot arms to install a pallet of equipment on Sunday, but when break-time came they may have found long lines at the bathrooms.

With a record 13 people aboard the station, the main toilet broke down, sending astronauts scrambling to the use backup commodes on the Russian side of the station and aboard the visiting U.S. shuttle Endeavour.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I thiink on ATS we sometimes lose our sense of humour!

But if the guys at NASA can have a joke:

"Put an 'Out-of-Service' note on the WHC (waste and hygiene compartment)," Mission Control's Hal Getselman told a crewmember after a fruitless attempt at repairs.

Then we should be able to also!

Can't wait for some of the one-liners from this one! Let's have them guys and gals, a few jokes to ease the doom and gloom that is part and parcel of being a conspiracy theorist!

uk.reuters.com


[edit on 19-7-2009 by kiwifoot]

Poor guys!
I recently saw an episode of Big Bang Theory in which Sheldon gets exactly this task: to create a really functional toilet for the Space Station!
I thought that was a funny idea from the scriptwriter but I now guess this is a real issue for them!
Poor poor guys!

reply to post by tecaarantes


Oh yeah I remember that, I managed to find this on you-tube!





Woah, a conpiracy is afoot lol!

See the newspapers tomorrow:

Hollywood Predicts Space Shuttle Toilet Disaster!

Where would you find a space plumber? Do their suits come pre-made for the exposed butt-crack?

what a bummer.
hope they have some zip lock bags.

sounds like a crappy situation

maybey its not broke and they just need to rattle the handle a tad....

and if they have to take a big poop make sure they do it in 2 flushes and not just try and choke the toilet to death in 1 big choking flush.

I am of the belief that there are always simple solutions to complicated problems:







[edit on 19-7-2009 by kinda kurious]

reply to post by kinda kurious


oh man, that's the best so far, a million stars to you!

Am still laughing.

reply to post by kinda kurious

I was wondering, what are they going to do if the backup commode breaks down too?

Maybe then the corks are the only solution?

Air conditioning turbines + lack of restrooms, thats when the sh*t really hits the fan.

they are fixing it right now on nasa tv
i hope they dont get any floaters

[edit on 19-7-2009 by mad bloke]

It should have been reported at www.poopreport.com first...

A bit like that episode of "The big bang Theory" if anyone else remembers it

It's amazing what passes for news these days. Do we really need to hear about a toilet malfunction in space? It's just a sad slow news week apparently.

... I dont think the toilet broke at all, it's just an excuse for the U.S. to stink up the Ruskies side of the space station.

... it's like, how are they gonna get turned away in space.

reply to post by kiwifoot


And we wonder why we can't go to Mars yet........