"The Apollo program's system of plastic bags and funnels was so unwieldy and messy that crew members found it objectionable and distasteful, according to a subsequent NASA report."
"The space agency's Universal Waste Management System, colloquially called just the toilet, was created to solve longstanding potty problems faced by astronauts and to offer a more familiar bathroom experience on the final frontier."
"The new design is more than a decade in the making. Space infrastructure company Collins Aerospace first entered into a contract with NASA to develop the project in 2015."
"I think of waste management as an evolution of design, says Melissa McKinley, project manager and principal investigator for NASA's UWMS team."
The Apollo program's initial toilet system was inadequate, leading to discomfort among astronauts. NASA's Artemis II mission introduces the Universal Waste Management System, which offers a more user-friendly bathroom experience. This new system includes features like handles for stability, simultaneous waste handling, and privacy doors. Developed by Collins Aerospace since 2015, the UWMS addresses past challenges and is adaptable for future lunar and Mars missions. Project manager Melissa McKinley emphasizes the evolution of design in waste management, building on previous space toilet technologies.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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