Before putting more passengers into orbit, SpaceX is addressing some toilet issues in its Dragon capsules.
The company and NASA want to make sure that any toilet leaks won't jeopardize the launch of the capsule or another one that's been parked at the International Space Station since April.
A tube carrying urine from the bathroom burst beneath the spaceship's cabin floor, spilling its contents onto a fan. That fan is used to create suction for the toilet, which is important because there is no force dragging waste in any one direction when you're in microgravity. The urine was then sprayed all over the hidden compartment by the fan.
Despite the fact that everything took place in microgravity, the urine did not find its way into the cabin. That kept it away from billionaire Jared Isaacman, geoscientist Dr. Sian Proctor, physician-assistant Hayley Arceneaux, and engineer Chris Sembroski, who were all aboard the spaceship.
On a mission called Inspiration4, they orbited Earth for three days and didn't notice the problem, according to SpaceX representatives.
The incident demonstrates how spacecraft that have undergone all essential test flights, have been inspected and certified, and have even completed full missions can still have unanticipated design risks.
Because waste may - and does - move in every possible direction in the weightless environment of space, fans are employed on spacecraft toilets to provide suction and restrict the flow of urine.
The Inspiration4 crew, however, did not observe any excreta floating around the cabin in this case since the leakage was still contained beneath the floor. However, when a SpaceX team pried into the floor, they discovered "contamination."
The urine-flushing tube inside SpaceX's newest spacecraft, designated Endurance by its U.S.-German crew, has been welded on as a permanent fix. The last-minute fix is still being reviewed by NASA.
The spacecraft's commander, NASA astronaut Raja Chari, said Tuesday that he had "complete confidence" in the repairs. He noted that SpaceX was quick to respond to the problem, with hundreds of people working on it to ensure the crew's safety.
The toilet system will be upgraded, as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk promised on Twitter. For its next flight, which will send four NASA astronauts to the International Space Station this weekend, SpaceX is redesigning the leaky tube beneath Crew Dragon's floor.
