On April 1, 2026, Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center, marking the first moon mission in 53 years. But not long after takeoff, the four astronauts on board made a grim discovery.
NASA’s Artemis II mission began smoothly. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen set off on their historic journey to the Moon — the first in more than five decades.
But a very human problem surfaced shortly after launch. Just a few hours into the trip, the crew aboard the Orion spacecraft reported an issue with one essential feature: the toilet.
The problem might seem minor compared to the scale of space travel, but it quickly became a priority for mission control. After all, the crew would need it during their 10‑day journey around the Moon.
Reports say the issue was detected early, and engineers worked with the astronauts in real time to troubleshoot it. While the malfunction wasn’t serious, NASA moved quickly to resolve it.
Artemis II astronauts made grim discovery moments after liftoff
A NASA spokesperson summed it up with humor: “It’s not their No. 1 problem, but it may be a problem for going number one.”
The Orion toilet is far more advanced than earlier models, offering greater comfort and privacy than the Apollo-era systems. Still, this incident shows that even cutting‑edge technology can run into trouble once it leaves Earth.
Fortunately, astronaut Christina Koch stepped in to help fix the issue. She disassembled parts of the toilet and, with guidance from Houston over the radio, managed to repair it.
“Happy to report that the toilet is good for use,” CapCom Amy Dill announced. “We do recommend letting the system get up to operating speed before donating fluid and then letting it run a little bit after donation.”
“We are cheers all around,” Koch replied.
Here’s to a smooth and successful 10‑day journey to the Moon for the Artemis II crew.
