“There's no way you can use water to collect waste in zero gravity. So, basically, our toilet on shuttle operations is a vacuum cleaner. The urinal looks like a Shop-Vac hose. It has different-shaped fronts on it for males and females to use. The urine is sucked down that hose and goes into a tank.” WayLooksDifferentUseWaterFrontsWasteFemaleMalesOperationsShopsZeroGravityToiletsTanksVacuumsCleanersZero Gravity Author:Mike Mullane
“The opening for solid waste is very small [in the space ship]. It's not toilet-bowl size. And aim is critical. To be honest with you, you don't know where your asshole is pointing within a small circumference.” KnowsSpaceHonestWasteAimSizeCriticalOpeningShipsBeing HonestBowlsPointingToiletsSolid Waste Author:Mike Mullane
“NASA's training philosophy is "no surprises." So what they did is put a simulator on Earth where it looks exactly the same as a shuttle toilet and they put a camera down in the bottom of the opening for solid-waste collection, with a light that basically illuminates your asshole.” LooksPhilosophyLightEarthWasteTrainingCamerasSurpriseBottomOpeningCollectionsToiletsNasaSolid Waste Author:Mike Mullane
“The solid waste is returned to Earth with the shuttle. If we [astronauts] ever dump solid waste overboard, it's going to give new meaning to wishing upon a falling star.” IfsGivingEarthFallWishStarsWasteAstronautDumpOverboardSolid Waste Author:Mike Mullane
