Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihlts.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe From: rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe) Newsgroups: net.columbia Subject: Re: Dreaded Killer Space Toilets Message-ID: <545@ihlts.UUCP> Date: Thu, 30-Aug-84 18:13:31 EDT Article-I.D.: ihlts.545 Posted: Thu Aug 30 18:13:31 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 31-Aug-84 03:16:33 EDT References: <123@petfe.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 54 > the toilet seems to be THE component that fails most often Probably true, mainly because it's something that media people can understand. Therefore they don't hesitate to inform us whenever the potty's broken. It isn't new to the shuttle program, though. I think they also had problems aboard Skylab. > HOW does one handle certain, ahem, bodily functions in space? > I would think that [microgravity] would pose some interesting problems > Also, what do the astronauts do when the toilet breaks? > George Verbosh, Perkin-Elmer, 106 Apple St., Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 Gosh, George, I think Miss Manners should be the one to whom you address these questions. But since she isn't on the net (to my knowledge), I think I'll answer. The commode works by air flow. Fans move the, uh, right stuff into revolving blades where it gets pureed and saved until the orbiter lands. Then it is removed, much like in jetliners. Have you ever wondered what those dozen or so trucks are doing around the orbiter shortly after landing, but before the astronauts are allowed to egress? That's right, disposing of some deadly vapors. You can probably imagine what six adults can do in a week. If you can, you should seek help. (OK, some of those noxious fumes are actually from hydrazine.) One of the problems with the commodes was that the fans were too powerful, and this caused the, ahem, right stuff to return into the cabin (where it became the wrong stuff). Definitely a case of the shit hitting the fan. (Sorry, I just couldn't pass up that one.) Elimination of liquids is accomplished by suction also. The astronaut places a receptacle (which fits either body type) over the appropriate appendage. The receptacle is connected to a hose, which sucks away the liquid. Now, I know what you're thinking and I really don't think the suction is strong enough to be - shall we say - interesting. Anyway, the liquid is periodically vented to space (not during an EVA, I hope) where it makes pretty crystals. Speaking of things periodical, you might be interested in a story I heard about accomodations for the first U.S. women astronauts. NASA decided that each female astronaut would have a certain number (no, I don't remember, but I can look it up) of tampons in her government-issued personal gear. It took the astronaut candidates themselves (as I heard it) to notice that when you opened the box to use one, all the tampons would float away. Needless to say, this would not be desirable. So they had tampons manufactured all on one long string. When the astronaut needs to use one, she cuts one off the end with her scissors. I suppose that women who wish to use pads rather than tampons simply can't be astronauts. Anyway, back to the main subject. If the commode fails, the astronauts return to the method used on other space flights. NASA has a long, technical name for this, complete with acronym, that is something like Personally Handled Elimination of Waste (PHEW). No, I really forgot what the name was but I do know essentially what the method is. Large baggies. Can you imagine what fun teenagers could have on Halloween with those? -- "It's only by NOT taking the human race seriously that I retain what fragments of my once considerable mental powers I still possess." Roger Noe ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe