Artemis II gets private toilet as NASA upgrades lunar mission system

NASA’s Artemis II mission will carry a private, fully functional toilet, marking a major change in waste management for crewed lunar travel.

The new system, called the Universal Waste Management System, replaces the older methods used during the Apollo era, which had long been criticised for being difficult and unpleasant for astronauts. NASA said the upgrade is designed to support both male and female crew members more effectively.

Built from 3D-printed titanium, the toilet allows astronauts to urinate and defecate at the same time and includes a solid door for privacy. The system uses vacuum-assisted processing and is now installed inside the Orion capsule ahead of the Artemis II mission.

The device was developed by Collins Aerospace beginning in 2015 and was first tested on the International Space Station in 2020. Its use in Artemis II marks the first time such a system will be carried on a crewed lunar mission.

NASA project manager Melissa McKinley said she was excited for the crew to use the system, adding that it would help shape waste management for future Artemis missions as well as eventual missions to Mars.

The upgrade comes more than 50 years after the Apollo missions, during which astronauts had to rely on older bag-based methods that were often described as impractical and messy.