Artemis II toilet trouble: Astronauts reported malfunction in urine collection system after liftoff

A minor technical issue with the onboard toilet was reported just hours after the launch of Artemis II, as astronauts began their journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. Within hours of liftoff on Wednesday evening (April 1), the four astronauts noticed a blinking fault light in the spacecraft’s waste management system.

NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya described it as a “controller issue” during a news conference, reported The New York Times, adding that it would take several hours to troubleshoot. Mission specialist Christina Koch said the problem affected part of the Orion capsule’s toilet, known as the Universal Waste Management System, specifically the component responsible for urine collection.

“The toilet fan is reported to be jammed," Space.com quoted NASA spokesperson Gary Jordan as saying during live mission commentary. "Now the ground teams are coming up with instructions on how to get into the fan and clear that area to revive the toilet for the mission."



Norm Knight told reporters at Kennedy Space Center that the malfunction was linked to a controller issue. NASA confirmed that astronauts could still use the system for solid waste, but urine collection was temporarily unavailable as engineers worked on restoring full functionality.

"In the meantime, they're getting their contingency - their backup waste management capabilities specifically for urine," Jordan said as quoted by the outlet. "The fecal collection of the toilet, that specific capability, can still be used with the waste management system aboard Orion."

The Orion capsule’s toilet is a upgrade from earlier deep-space missions. During the Apollo program of the 1960s and 1970s, astronauts did not have a dedicated toilet and relied on waste collection bags during their journeys. Those bags were left on the lunar surface to reduce mass during the return trip.

For Artemis II, NASA installed a more advanced system designed to provide improved privacy and hygiene. The Universal Waste Management System includes a small compartment with a door located near the hatch astronauts use to enter the spacecraft.

“We’re pretty fortunate as a crew to have a toilet with a door on this tiny spacecraft — the one place that we can go during the mission where we can actually feel like we’re alone for a moment,” Jeremy Hansen, a mission specialist from the Canadian Space Agency, said in a video.


After Artemis II NASA aims to conduct additional missions, including Artemis III, IV & V, to eventually support a sustained human presence on the Moon. Future plans include building surface infrastructure, deploying robotic rovers, and expanding international participation.