2007-10-05 01:29:50 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
i bet they put into nappy sacks and throw it out the window!!!!
2007-10-05 06:57:47 · answer #1 · answered by smiff78 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These days they bring it back. It's used by both men and women and from what I last knew it was like a cartridge system. There were numerous "bags" stacked and a bag was prepared by opening and extending it. Once the waste was inside, the bag could be closed and then stored/compressed. I'm not certain if liquid waste is ejected into space (where is should vaporize) or is stored and returned. I also believe there is now a better air filtering system for the waste container so that odor is either eliminated or kept to a minimum. It's surely much better these days than it used to be. I hope that helps somewhat.
2007-10-05 08:55:55 · answer #2 · answered by Moby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the early days of Mercury flights, waste was collected. The missions were of such short duration that there wasn't a lot anyway. The Gemini and Apollo flights used a urine collection/disposable system that essentially involved peeing straight out into space through a hose, with small samples collected and retained for medical analysis on return. Solid waste was collected in a bag which was literally taped to the astronaut's backside, then sealed (and then, worse, mashed to break a small packet of germicide inside the bag) and stowed in the spacecraft. It was brought back, but mainly because dumping it in space would simply produce potentially hazardous lumps of solid material.
Nowadays, the shuttle and ISS have a 'space toilet' that collects solid waste and compacts it for storage. On the shuttle it is brought back. On the ISS it is packed into the unmanned Progress supply vehicles along with other waste materials and sent back to Earth to burn up in the atmosphere.
2007-10-05 09:02:38 · answer #3 · answered by Jason T 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
On the Space Shuttle the waste gets dumped into space.
On the Space Station liquid waste gets recycled. Solid waste gets put into the empty resupply ships that burn up on re-entry.
2007-10-05 13:56:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The gemini missions jetisoned waste, but these days it is brought back for analysis - there is a lot of research to be done on the effects of living in space
2007-10-05 08:34:33 · answer #5 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont thik so. Poluting space would be breaking the Rules of Enviroment protection agency.
What is actually done is that the waste is chemically processed and reconstituted for recycling.
2007-10-05 10:01:23 · answer #6 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just a thought.... what if.... the 'building blocks of life' turn out to be some aliens passing by and dumping their waste on "that uninhabited watery planet down there"...????....
would our guys and gals doing that dumping in space thing possibly contribute, no matter how small the chance, to life forming somewhere ?....
2007-10-05 10:51:36 · answer #7 · answered by meanolmaw 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What they can't recycle they usually bring back, if on a single vehicle (like the Apollo). Otherwise it changes the mass of the vehicle when calculating thrust burns.
2007-10-05 08:38:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Donovan answered this question in his song "The Intergalactic laxative"
" ... the water is recirculated filtered for re-use - in case of anti gravity pee gets on the loose."
You can get full details on youtube...
2007-10-05 08:42:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do. And after that ithe waste burns in the atmosphere! And sh*t rain is falling!
2007-10-05 08:36:28 · answer #10 · answered by IT 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋