# International Space Station toilet

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-space-station-toilet/451263>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 31, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-space-station-toilet/451263 "2008-05-31T14:22:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-space-station-toilet/451263/1 "2008-05-31T14:22:01Z")

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What do they do when the only toilet in the I.S.S. is broken?

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**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-space-station-toilet/451263/2 "2008-05-31T14:25:26Z")

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I was stunned that they only had one toilet for a crew of people trapped in space! Hell, if all of my toilets ever broke (and there was nowhere else to go), I could at least go outside!

I heard on NPR that the toilet was partially broken- it would flush three times and then they would need to fix it. here’s a summary of the NPR report- the article is about half way down the page: [http://www.npr.org/newsinbrief/index.html](http://www.npr.org/newsinbrief/index.html)

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-space-station-toilet/451263/3 "2008-05-31T16:12:50Z")

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The backup plan is to use the plastic bags developed during the Apollo mission. They’re described in more detail [here](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2006-01/1138467020.As.r.html).

FYI, as for the Space Shuttle, its toilet is described [here](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/1997-03/857759279.As.r.html). I’ve seen the Shuttle toilet simulator at Johnson Space Center in Houston (although based on that article, I believe I saw the older design) so that the astronauts can practice the maneuver. The design I saw required the user to make a seal between the butt and the seat, so the simulator had a camera down below to help one practice.