how do astronauts go to the bathroom in space...
2007-07-18 09:51:46 · 21 answers · asked by princessone 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
they go in their suits!!! don't you remember the crazy lady that was driving to kill her boyfriend and she was wearing an astronauts diaper when she got arrested!!!
http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=diaper_clad_astronaut_attempts_to_kidnap&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
2007-07-18 09:56:46 · answer #1 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Shower:
There is no shower in the space shuttle, so astronauts must make do with sponge baths until they return home. They wash with wet washcloths, utilizing soaps that do not need to be rinsed off. The crew bring plenty of towels to dry themselves with. To provide a little privacy, they extend the curtain of the WCS (Waste Collection System), the toilet or bathroom.
The smart ones take long thorough baths before taking off.
Brushing Teeth:
Dental hygiene presented a unique problem for astronauts. Expectorating (spitting) in a near weightless environment is never a good idea. A dental consultant with NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston developed a toothpaste that can be swallowed. It is now marketed commercially as NASAdent. This has been a great breakthrough for the elderly, hospital patients, and others who have trouble brushing their teeth. It is foamless and ingestible.
Space shuttle astronauts who can not bring themselves to swallow the toothpaste, or who have brought their own favorite brands sometimes spit into a washcloth.
Toilet Use:
Since there is no gravity to either hold a toilet bowl full of water in place or pull human wastes down, designing a toilet for zero-gravity was not an easy task. NASA had to develop a way to use air flow to make the urine or feces go where they wanted.
There is a toilet on each space shuttle which can be used by men or women. Although it is designed to be as much as possible like those on Earth, there are a number of changes. Straps are in place to hold feet against the floor. Pivoting bars swing across the thighs, ensuring the user remains seated. Since the system operates on a vacuum, a tight seal is essential.
Besides the main toilet bowl, there is a hose, which is utilized as a urinal by men and women. It can be used in a standing position or can be attached to the commode by a pivoting mounting bracket for use in a sitting position. A separate receptacle allows for disposal of wipes. All three units use flowing air instead of water to move waste through the system.
The human waste is separated and solid wastes are compressed and stored on-board, and then removed after landing. Waste water is vented to space, although future systems may recycle it. The air is filtered to remove odor and bacteria and then returned to the cabin.
2007-07-18 17:03:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When they are doing space walks or in the cargo area working it's in a diaper, inside the shuttle they have a restoom that is kind of like a vacuum, it sucks the waste material into a baggy to brought back to the planet to be disposed of.
2007-07-18 16:58:50 · answer #3 · answered by orno11 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they are on the moon (for example) or any where out side of the space ship they would have to go in some sort of diaper...
2007-07-18 17:52:01 · answer #4 · answered by rizz 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They become seriously ill - stop taking the pee and have to sit near a loo that not only sucks and blows it spurts it out and everything into the dark stuff - to infinity and wheeey beyond - no floaters are allowed - as stated in the ground rules.
2007-07-18 17:12:15 · answer #5 · answered by upyerjumper 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You really don't care to know. Diapers work. They are designed with "zip-lock" features so that the "offensive" materials can be isolated and packaged for ejection into space or recycle.
2007-07-18 18:27:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have a vacuum type device, literally like a wet vac it suctions everything into an area then when they flush it is released into space
2007-07-18 16:57:12 · answer #7 · answered by Vince 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Astro-diapers.
2007-07-18 18:25:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a kind of vacuum system that sucks it into a tank where it can be ejected later. if you mean when they are outside in the space suits. they can either hold it, or i beleive they can go inside the suits.... i wouldn't want to be the one who cleans those suits though, lol
2007-07-18 17:46:31 · answer #9 · answered by Tim C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HAHAHAH....Well,
They have bathrooms just like anyone else and go just like anyone else.
It is the bathroom that is different or the toilet rather.
Basically it evacuates (via suction) the space in which your waste is 'deposited' immediately after it exits your body.
2007-07-18 16:55:27 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋