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NASA Contractor Needs Urine

Posted by timothy on from the space-sports dept.

Apparently, NASA sent a memo to its employees at the Johnson Space Center asking for their urine so they, NASA, could use it to test the Orion space capsule. How much urine? 30 liters per day, including weekends. Disposal of urine for up to six months would be required if Orion is to work as planned.

Alert reader nettamere adds a link to story at Discovery.com, excerpting: "Donations will be treated with a chemical that can hold solid particulates in the liquid so they don't clog up the tubing in microgravity, said Leo Makowski, company spokesman for Hamilton Sundstrand, a contractor designing the new spaceship's toilet. ... "It's difficult to come up with a faux urine, explained NASA's Jim Lewis, the systems manager overseeing development of Orion's potty. 'That's why we depend on collections.'"

11 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. kegger at Johnson! by jhines · · Score: 4, Insightful

    all they need is to hold an on-going kegger. I'm sure they will have no problems in this area.

  2. hmmm by thatskinnyguy · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Why not test the toilets with something that flows with a bit more difficulty in microgravity? If it could dispose of something thick, like canola oil, why not use that? That way when it goes up, it's guaranteed to suck down whatever the astronauts can throw at it.

    --
    The game.
    1. Re:hmmm by PhuCknuT · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Because it's not just about the toilet, but what happens to the waste after that. They need to extract and reuse the water...

    2. Re:hmmm by susano_otter · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In addition to what other commenters have pointed out, there's also the matter of mass budgets. An over-engineered urine disposal system would add unnecessary mass and volume to the spacecraft, a system where ounces matter.

      --

      Any sufficiently well-organized community is indistinguishable from Government.

    3. Re:hmmm by Tetsujin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Because it's not just about the toilet, but what happens to the waste after that. They need to extract and reuse the water...

      Besides which - if you're developing a system responsible for the handling, recycling, or disposal of human urine, the best thing to test it with is human urine. They're not going to be using this thing to dispose of canola oil, that's not what it's for.

      --
      Bow-ties are cool.
  3. Opportunity squandered. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "It's difficult to come up with a faux urine, explained NASA's Jim Lewis, the systems manager overseeing development of Orion's potty. 'That's why we depend on collections.'"

    Perfect reason to write a project proposal with a couple of million bucks in budget. All down the drain now with this kind of simple solution. Contractors are not going to be happy.

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    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  4. Re:But really... by Thelasko · · Score: 4, Insightful

    NASA is beginning a secret drug testing program.

    Off topic? No self respecting, tinfoil hat wearing, Slashdot reader mods that offtopic. Honestly, it would make a lame, but plausible cover for a drug testing program, and knowing our government, it's likely true.

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    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
  5. Re:In other news, by electrosoccertux · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I find beer works better :)
    Free beer for all employees!!!

  6. So... by SeattleGameboy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Who is the lucky person at NASA who gets to receive all the urine they get and prep them?

  7. Re:But really... by sunking2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Except that NASA and thus almost all of their subcontracors already have a pretty stringent drug policy in place. They can basically test you anytime they want. No reason to sneaky about it.

  8. Re:Have they contacted the Houston zoo? by snspdaarf · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Have you ever seen an elephant take a piss? Whoa! There is a lot, it comes out quick, and, for a number of reasons, I do NOT want to be the guy trying to get it into a bucket.

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    Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!