http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_ISS_C...ion_18172.html

As you can imagine, the crew on the International Space Station is always on alert, constantly solving problems, and… repairing toilets? That is definitely something you don’t want to see happening in space. The crew is currently relying on the toilet on the Soyuz return capsule, but considering its limited capacity, fixing the broken toilet is critical.

I would've thought that this would be on the list to make a redundant system right after 'power,' and 'life support.'

Of course.

AP: Space station crew to NASA: Send plumber soon

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Not that much of a problem. Just might be a bit more messy than usual.

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I am Mugs, of the Alien clan of Usa, Nordamerica, a Terran, of Sol.

Perception isn't reality. It's merely an abstraction thereof, and quite often not a very good one at that.

I am human. Fully human.

Pilots have been using baggies and diapers for a LONG time.

Not tidy or classy, but it gets the job done....

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

Nasty... but they're smart, I'm sure they'll fix it.

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"If you think the LHC will create black holes, you might as well believe Hobbits are at the bottom of your garden."- Dr. Mike Inglis
Rovers forever! - ToSeek
"Carl Sagan sent a message to ET,
Neil Armstrong walked in the Sea of Tranquility
Steve Squyers built Spirit and Opportunity
Dan Haylen upchucked in zero gravity." -Brent Simon, The Space Camp Song

Of all the things that could go wrong, broken toilets in space is certainly one of the most serious.

Some people might joke, but a confined space and human feces is no laughing matter. If they can't find a long term sanitation solution they may have to return to Earth before they get too sick to make the trip.

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"I worry that, especially as the Millennium edges nearer, pseudo-science and superstition will seem year by year more tempting, the siren song of unreason more sonorous and attractive." - Carl Sagan, 1995

It would be cheaper to just do your business in a bucket (scratch that, jug..) and airlock it than returning a crew to earth prematurely, wouldn't it?

Possibly, but remember. that jug oh urine is going to stay in pretty much the same orbit as you.

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Leave some air in the airlock, .2 atmosphere's would be enough to propel it quite a distance wouldn't it?

Aim roughly toward the big blue ball and watch the waste float away, it would burn up on re-entry, wouldn't it?

Back in the Salyut and Mir days, the Russians would often throw bags of garbage out of the airlock. Since the bags had a relatively large surface area for their low mass, they tended to degrade and burn in fairly rapidly.

More serious than a baseball-sized hole caused by a meteor? More serious than an airlock malfunction?

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I am Mugs, of the Alien clan of Usa, Nordamerica, a Terran, of Sol.

Perception isn't reality. It's merely an abstraction thereof, and quite often not a very good one at that.

I am human. Fully human.

I was thinking more of a baggy with a paper towel in it to absorb and contain any liquids.

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I am Mugs, of the Alien clan of Usa, Nordamerica, a Terran, of Sol.

Perception isn't reality. It's merely an abstraction thereof, and quite often not a very good one at that.

I am human. Fully human.

In a weightless environment it would be hard to keep all of it in the bucket. Its a serious situation that doesn't have any quick and easy solutions.

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"I worry that, especially as the Millennium edges nearer, pseudo-science and superstition will seem year by year more tempting, the siren song of unreason more sonorous and attractive." - Carl Sagan, 1995

Can't they just pull over and go in the bushes?

But seriously, will STS-124 bring the necessary parts and tools to repair the toilet?

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To the regular visitor of internet bulletin boards it is clear that it's an excellent idea your parents get to choose your real name.

It better or we going to have a microgravity rendition of the wee-wee waltz.

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A baseball sized hole could be patched in one space walk.

An airlock malfunction would be annoying, forcing them to use another one until its fixed.

Nothing brings people to their knees like the sickening howl of "SOMEBODY JIGGLE THE HANDLE!"

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I'm not completely heartless, the doctor who removed it told me he'd never be able to get it all.

Systems, back-up systems, redundancies up the yingyang and there is only one toilet?

Shoe-in for a bonehead award!

No, there are back ups in thy OM of Soyuz. And toilet problems can be fixed or worked round. It has happened before, it will happen again. No bone headedness involved.

Jon