The toilet on the Artemis II mission broke down again when the astronauts were closer to the Moon than to Earth
Kyiv • UNN
Due to a blockage in the liquid waste system caused by ice, the crew is using bags. The flight is proceeding as planned, and the astronauts are expected to set a distance record.
The crew of the Artemis II mission, already more than halfway to the Moon, has again encountered a toilet malfunction aboard the Orion capsule, but the flight is proceeding as planned, AP reports with reference to NASA, writes UNN.
Details
According to the Associated Press, the problem concerns the liquid waste disposal system. NASA suspects that ice may have partially blocked the tube. Because of this, astronauts were instructed to use backup bags for liquid collection. At the same time, the solid waste toilet remains usable.
Despite the technical malfunction, the mission continues. On Monday, four astronauts are to make a historic flyby of the Moon and venture further into space than the Apollo 13 crew. According to the plan, Orion will move more than 400,000 kilometers away from Earth, then orbit the Moon and begin its return journey without landing and without entering lunar orbit.
The mission is set to set a new record for human flight distance
Artemis II is the first human flight to the Moon in over 53 years. The crew consists of three American astronauts and one Canadian: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. This mission is expected to set a new record for human spaceflight distance, surpassing that of Apollo 13.
NASA stated that the crew is prepared for such failures and can handle the situation. The nearly 10-day mission is scheduled to conclude on April 10, when the capsule is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean.