How Artemis II astronauts managed a toilet malfunction mid-mission

What really happens when a toilet breaks down in space? The Artemis II astronauts have recounted exactly what they did when they were faced with a mid-mission malfunction. On the first day of the historic mission last month, the crew reported the $30m (£22.6m) Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) onboard the rocket was not working due to an issue with the toilet fan. Appearing on CBS Mornings, the crew were asked by a young audience member if they just “let it fly around”, prompting laughter around the studio. Christina Koch explained the ways the crew functioned without a working toilet. “It wasn’t as easy as our fancy good toilet, but we made do.” After mission control teams on the ground assessed data, they were able to fix the problem with the help of the Artemis II crew.