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From: mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Testing 0G Potties..
Message-ID: <25754@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 23 May 89 16:16:34 GMT
References: <25118@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <605@kl-cs.UUCP> <1989May11.203336.1395@utzoo.uucp> <443@cybaswan.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA - Ames Research Center
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>In article <1989May11.203336.1395@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
>.....the thing [0G toilet for the shuttle] had to be tested in
>free fall before being flown for the first time, and that meant doing it
>in the KC-135, with only about 30 seconds of free fall available?
>......Turns out that there are people with the slightly
>unusual, um, ability required...
>-- 

I heard this story about the design process of the shuttle potties. . .

It seems that they were able to recruit some non-bashful army nurses
to aid in the testing process aboard the KC-135. In order to collect
data, they outfitted the, ahem, "testing facility" with cameras to
observe the sequence of events.

I wonder if they gave the nurses copies of the videotapes for souveniers?

(I have a great videotape of Jack Lousma giving a tour onboard the Skylab,
showing off their "one-holer")


          *** mike (still looking for a publisher) smithwick ***
"Oh, I'm just a NOP in the instruction set of life, oh, ohhhh, hmmmmm"

[disclaimer : nope, I don't work for NASA, I take full blame for my ideas]