A wind reported by astronauts aboard Artemis II on their way to the moon it came from the rocket toilets.
Christina Koch, one of four on the NASA mission, raised the alarm after detecting a ‘burnt heating type of smell’ coming from the toilet on several occasions.
Back on the ground, mission control suggested that the culprit might actually be the insulation in the toilet door, referred to as a hygiene bay or Universal Waste Management System (UWMS).
The quartet on board didn’t think that was the cause, but for now they were allowed to continue using the toilet.
It is not the first reported glitch in Orion’s waste management system.
Moments into the mission, a flashing fault light was reported in the toilet, amid concerns that the fan was stuck.
This matter was later fixed by Mrs. Koch with the help of the mission controllers at Houston.
Ms Koch, a self-described “space plumber” on the ship, said the toilet was “probably the most important piece of equipment on board”.
She explained: “We were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be good. It was just a matter of sitting for a long time, needing some time to warm up, a starting matter.’
The situation remains under assessment, but mission controllers do not believe the issue is of ‘major concern’.
Ms. Koch is joined by Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover on the 10-day trip.
NASA has revealed that the Orion spacecraft is more than halfway to the Moon, where it will conduct a flyby of the natural satellite.
On Saturday afternoon, crew members were amused to wake up to the sound of the Pink Pony Club from Chappell Roan.
So far, two ‘course corrections’ have been aborted – short engine burns to keep the capsule on track.
Instead, a check is being carried out on the capsule’s waste water disposal system, as Orion was only able to dispose of three percent of its waste last night.
Orion is equipped with a five-cubic toilet, specially designed for use in microgravity, located under the floor near the main hatch, hidden by a curtain.
The toilet flush is so loud that crew members have to wear ear protection to use it.
Solid waste is stored on board in odor-controlled canisters, while pre-treated urine is disposed of on board daily.
However, in the event that the UWMS breaks down, astronauts must resort to unpredictable collapsible urine bags, which are thrown into space through designated channels.
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