No plumber in space? Toilet leak pushes astronauts to use diapers on way back to Earth
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A malfunctioning toilet in SpaceX capsule seems to have left astronauts with no choice but to use diapers on the way back home from the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Megan McArthur has described the situation as “suboptimal” but manageable. On their return, McArthur and three crewmates will have to spend 20 hours in the capsule
A malfunctioning toilet in SpaceX capsule seems to have left astronauts with no choice but to use diapers on the way back home from the International Space Station on Sunday.
Describing the situation as “suboptimal” but manageable, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur said in a news conference from orbit, “Spaceflight is full of lots of little challenges. This is just one more that we’ll encounter and take care of in our mission. So, we’re not too worried about it.”
During their return, McArthur and three crewmates will have to spend 20 hours in the capsule. It includes the time from when the hatches are closed to a splashdown on Monday morning. In their time in space, these astronauts were forced to deal with the toilet leak as well.
Before launching replacements, the mission managers decided to bring McArthur and the rest of her crew home after a series of meetings on Friday.
For over a week, the SpaceX launch had been delayed due to bad weather and an undisclosed medical issue involving a crew member.
The company is now looking for a lift-off for Wednesday night at the earliest. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who will return with McArthur, said that last six months had been intense.
(With inputs from agencies)