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Main Toilet On ISS Craps Out

The Narrative Fallacy writes "NASA has spent years getting ready for a crowd in space — adding additional sleeping quarters, learning how to recycle liquid waste into drinking water, and installing a second bathroom last year. But now the main toilet has broken down on the International Space Station while a record 13 astronauts are on board. For now Mission Control has advised the astronauts to hang an 'out of service' sign on the toilet as it may take days to repair. In the meantime, Endeavour's seven astronauts will be restricted to the shuttle bathroom. Last year a Russian cosmonaut complained that he was no longer allowed to use the US toilet because of billing and cost issues. Now the six space ISS residents will have to get in line to use the back-up toilet in the Russian part of the station. The pump separator on the malfunctioning toilet has apparently flooded, and ESA astronaut Frank De Winne is the guy tasked with putting his plumbing skills to work on short notice. 'We don't yet know the extent of the problem,' says flight director Brian Smith, adding that the toilet troubles were 'not going to be an issue' for now."

4 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. Uh oh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, now we know what hit Jupiter...

  2. Shite Plot! by dotslashdot · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm waiting for Hollywood to make a movie about sending Joe the Plumber into space to prevent a Russian chocolate rain of terror raining down on the United States from the ISS. Starring Bruce Willis as Joe the Plumber.

  3. Do it outside by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its a good thing their airlocks are still working. The problem is finding a bush to go behind...

  4. Re:oops by lilo_booter · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't make jokes. It's a very important scientific breakthrough for two reasons. Number one....and number two.