How will astronauts poop on the moon?

NASA
challenge aims to flush this mystery
By Live Science, adapted by Newsela staff on 07.17.20
Word Count 569
Level 820L

Although space toilets already exist and are in use, they are designed for microgravity only. Photo: NASA

Everybody poops, including astronauts. Going to the bathroom in space can be difficult, though.
On Earth, toilets flush using gravity. Gravity in outer space is very weak, meaning toilets cannot
flush the same way that they do on Earth. In a new contest, NASA is asking inventors from around
the world to develop a new space toilet. The space agency is looking for a design that would work
aboard the International Space Station, which is a space station that orbits Earth in space. NASA
also would like the toilet to work on the moon.

The gravity on the moon is called lunar gravity. It is about six times weaker than the gravity on
Earth. Microgravity is when gravity is very weak. In microgravity, objects float because the gravity
is so weak. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station live in microgravity.

Contest Looks For New Design For Spacecraft Toilet

NASA plans to use this toilet on a future spacecraft that will land on the moon as part of the
Artemis program. The program will send humans to the moon by 2024.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

The toilet design contest has been titled "NASA's Lunar Loo Challenge." It has a total prize pool of
$35,000 to be shared by winning teams.

NASA hopes the challenge will result in new ideas. It is looking for new ways to deal with human
waste in outer space.

Anyone can apply to this challenge. The winning design will receive a $20,000 prize. The second-
place design will win $10,000, and the third-place winner will win $5,000. The contest even
includes a "junior" category. In it, anyone under the age of 18 can apply with their creative space
toilet idea. Winners in the junior category will have their names published and will receive NASA
souvenirs.

New Toilet Should Be Small, Quiet And Easy To Clean

The toilet should be small. It should also be quiet. NASA would like the toilet to be no louder than
60 decibels. That is about the same volume as a bathroom fan. Decibels are units that measure the
loudness of sounds.

The space toilet should be able to collect solid and liquid waste at the same time. It needs to hold
at least a quarter gallon of liquid waste. That amount is equal to about one liter. It should also be
able to hold 17.6 ounces, or 500 grams, of solid waste.

The final requirements are that the system must be able to store or get rid of waste. It should also
be quick and easy to clean and maintain.

NASA hopes this toilet will be an improvement on past waste removal systems. These are systems
that allow astronauts to get rid of their pee and poop.

Pee Freezes In Space

During NASA's Apollo program in the 1960s and early 1970s, astronauts would urinate into a
"relief tube." These were designed only for men. At that time, women were not yet allowed to be
NASA astronauts. The astronauts would dispose of their pee into space, where it would freeze.
Apollo astronauts would also have to figure out how to get their solid waste into plastic bags. Then,
they had to bring the waste back to Earth for scientists to study.

Later space shuttle missions had toilets known as the Waste Collection System. This system
emptied waste out into space. However, it didn't always work perfectly.

Learn more about the challenge on NASA's website.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 How does NASA plan to use the winning plan for a space toilet? How do you know?

(A) NASA wants the winning design to inspire inventors; "In a new contest, NASA is asking inventors from
around the world to develop a new space toilet."

(B) NASA wants to use the design in spacecraft; "NASA plans to use this toilet on a future spacecraft that
will land on the moon as part of the Artemis program."

(C) NASA wants the winning design to get the attention of students; "The toilet design contest has been
titled NASA's Lunar Loo Challenge."

(D) NASA wants to use the design to reduce the amount of waste released in space; "NASA hopes this
toilet will be an improvement on past waste removal systems."

2 Read the section “New Toilet Should Be Small, Quiet And Easy To Clean.”

Which sentence from this section supports the conclusion that the new toilet needs to be efficient?

(A) NASA would like the toilet to be no louder than 60 decibels.

(B) The space toilet should be able to collect solid and liquid waste at the same time.

(C) NASA hopes this toilet will be an improvement on past waste removal systems.

(D) These are systems that allow astronauts to get rid of their pee and poop.

3 What effect does microgravity have on toilets aboard the International Space Station?

(A) It makes it important to collect solid and liquid waste together.

(B) It makes it necessary to adjust the gravity inside the station.

(C) It makes it difficult to flush a toilet since waste will float.

(D) It makes it hard for astronauts to pee and poop privately.

4 According to the section “Pee Freezes In Space,” how did astronauts on space shuttle missions dispose of waste?

(A) They disposed of solid waste in plastic bags brought back to Earth.

(B) They had a system that collected waste and emptied it into space.

(C) They urinated through a tube that emptied directly into space.

(D) They were able to store or get rid of waste when necessary.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Answer Key

1 How does NASA plan to use the winning plan for a space toilet? How do you know?

(A) NASA wants the winning design to inspire inventors; "In a new contest, NASA is asking inventors from
around the world to develop a new space toilet."

(B) NASA wants to use the design in spacecraft; "NASA plans to use this toilet on a future
spacecraft that will land on the moon as part of the Artemis program."

(C) NASA wants the winning design to get the attention of students; "The toilet design contest has been
titled NASA's Lunar Loo Challenge."

(D) NASA wants to use the design to reduce the amount of waste released in space; "NASA hopes this
toilet will be an improvement on past waste removal systems."

2 Read the section “New Toilet Should Be Small, Quiet And Easy To Clean.”

Which sentence from this section supports the conclusion that the new toilet needs to be efficient?

(A) NASA would like the toilet to be no louder than 60 decibels.

(B) The space toilet should be able to collect solid and liquid waste at the same time.

(C) NASA hopes this toilet will be an improvement on past waste removal systems.

(D) These are systems that allow astronauts to get rid of their pee and poop.

3 What effect does microgravity have on toilets aboard the International Space Station?

(A) It makes it important to collect solid and liquid waste together.

(B) It makes it necessary to adjust the gravity inside the station.

(C) It makes it difficult to flush a toilet since waste will float.

(D) It makes it hard for astronauts to pee and poop privately.

4 According to the section “Pee Freezes In Space,” how did astronauts on space shuttle missions dispose of waste?

(A) They disposed of solid waste in plastic bags brought back to Earth.

(B) They had a system that collected waste and emptied it into space.

(C) They urinated through a tube that emptied directly into space.

(D) They were able to store or get rid of waste when necessary.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.