How do you poop in space? Revealing the secrets of astronauts' "space toilet" high technology
In recent years, with the booming development of commercial aerospace and space exploration, the public has become increasingly curious about the details of astronauts' lives. Among them, "How to use the toilet in space" has become one of the hot topics. This article will combine the hot content of the entire Internet in the past 10 days to reveal this "flavorful" space cold knowledge in the form of structured data.
1. Statistics of hot search data on the entire network
| platform | Related topic readings | Number of discussions | Hot search duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 million | 83,000 | 3 days | |
| Tik Tok | 98 million | 156,000 | 5 days |
| Zhihu | 42 million | 12,000 | 7 days |
| Station B | 36 million | 68,000 | 4 days |
2. Working principle of space toilet
In a microgravity environment, excrement will not "fall" automatically and requires high-tech equipment to assist in processing. The toilet system used on the International Space Station mainly includes the following components:
| Component name | Function | Technical parameters |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum suction device | Create airflow to guide excrement | Flow speed 28m/s |
| urine separator | Collect and store liquid waste | Capacity 20L |
| solid waste container | Storing dried feces | Pressure resistance 0.5MPa |
| Sterilization system | Prevent bacterial growth | UV + chemical disinfection |
3. Detailed explanation of the astronaut toilet process
Unlike simple operations on Earth, using the toilet in space requires strict compliance with the following steps:
1. Immobilize your body: Use foot restraints and handrails to maintain a stable posture
2. Align the collection port: It is necessary to accurately align the collection port with a diameter of 10cm
3. Start the suction system: Press the button to activate the vacuum unit
4. Complete cleaning: use special wipes (do not flush)
5. Waste treatment: urine is purified and recycled, and solid waste is compressed and stored
4. Challenges and interesting stories about using the toilet in space
According to the latest data disclosed by NASA, the failure rate of space toilets is as high as 32%. The main reasons include:
| Fault type | frequency of occurrence | solution |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum system failure | 18% | Manual repair |
| Interface leak | 9% | Replace sealing ring |
| Electronic control system failure | 5% | System restart |
Interestingly, a leak in the toilet of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft caused urine to float in the cabin, and the astronauts had to use "space diapers" for emergencies. The Russian Soyuz spacecraft uses a simpler "bag system", but it requires astronauts to manually add the curing agent.
5. Future technology development direction
For long-term lunar/Mars missions, various space agencies are developing a new generation of space health systems:
• Closed-loop water recycling system (urine purification drinking rate will be increased to 95%)
• Smart toilet (equipped with health monitoring sensors)
• 3D printed replaceable parts (reduces maintenance difficulty)
• Microbial treatment technology (converting manure into fertilizer or oxygen)
According to ESA (European Space Agency), the "lunar toilet" prototype it is testing weighs only 15kg, reduces energy consumption by 40%, and is expected to be put into use in 2026.
Conclusion
From the early "Apollo poop collection bag" to today's US$23 million International Space Station toilet, the advancement of space toilet technology reflects the development of human aerospace engineering. This seemingly simple detail of life is actually one of the key systems that ensures the success of space missions. Next time you look up at the stars, you may have a new understanding of the daily life of astronauts.
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