Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

SpaceX Addresses Leakage Issues on Crew Dragon Toilet Before Weekend Launch SpaceX's Crew-3 mission is set to lift off on Sunday.

By Chloe Arrojado

Orlando Sentinel | Getty Images

Most people don't think twice about going to the bathroom, but when you're going to space, a faulty toilet can be a critical issue — which is exactly the problem SpaceX Crew Dragon is fixing ahead of its weekend launch.

During the craft's Inspiration4 mission in September, the capsule alerted astronauts that the toilet wasn't working properly. The crew found that the problem had to do with the toilet's fan, which is essential in proper suction of human waste.

"There's a storage tank where the urine goes to be stored [and] there's a tube that came disconnected or came unglued," SpaceX head of mission assurance William Gerstenmaier told CNN. "That allowed urine essentially to not go into the storage tank, but essentially go into the fan system."

Related: SpaceX Will Make Elon Musk a Trillionaire, According to Predictions

Although the four astronauts didn't notice at the time, the SpaceX team later observed contaminated areas on the floor.

This particular capsule is still at the International Space Station and is set to return next month. Now, SpaceX crew are testing to make sure the leakage hasn't dangerously corroded the contaminated areas.

"We'll double-check things, we'll triple checks things, and we got a couple more samples we'll pull out of the chambers and inspect," Gerstenmaier added. "But we'll be ready to go and make sure the crew is safe to return."

For the capsule that's set to go to space on Sunday, the crew decided to weld the tube, rather than glue it. And though NASA has yet to approve the fix, officials from NASA and SpaceX remain confident this won't interfere with the forthcoming mission.

Related: Elon Musk Teams Up With Netflix to Stream SpaceX Space

Chloe Arrojado

Entrepreneur Staff

Editorial Assistant

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Career

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path for 2024? Here's the Verdict

Consumer services is a broad field with a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you should consider before choosing it as a career path.

Business News

'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years

In an interview with Entrepreneur, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor explains the decision-making behind the changes, how he approaches leading Kickstarter, and his advice for future CEOs.

Business Models

How to Become an AI-Centric Business (and Why It's Crucial for Long-Term Success)

Learn the essential steps to integrate AI at the core of your operations and stay competitive in an ever-evolving landscape.