Overview
- NASA sent a four-astronaut Artemis II test flight toward the Moon on the Space Launch System rocket using the Orion capsule to prove deep-space systems.
- Soon after reaching Earth orbit, the crew reported an indicator for a fault in Orion’s toilet control system and mission control began troubleshooting.
- NASA said the problem appears confined to the controller and could take hours to fix, and the spacecraft continues on its course toward the lunar flyby.
- If repairs fall short, the crew will collect urine in bags for daily disposal and use the toilet for solid waste, which will be stored for return to Earth.
- This is the first deep-space mission with a full toilet onboard, and the Artemis roadmap calls for crewed landings with Artemis III in 2027 and Artemis IV around early 2028 near the lunar south pole.