Artemis II toilet malfunctions again as crew nears the moon

Artemis II is more than halfway to the moon and aims to travel farther than Apollo 13; the mission's onboard toilet has been unreliable since liftoff, and crew are using backup urine collection bags while engineers investigate a suspected ice blockage.

Artemis II is more than halfway to the moon as the four-person crew prepares for a lunar fly-around that would carry humans farther from Earth than during Apollo 13. The capsule holds three American astronauts and one Canadian and is set to reach its lunar approach on Monday to photograph the far side. Since liftoff, the Orion capsule's toilet has worked intermittently, and Mission Control has instructed the crew to use additional backup urine collection bags. Engineers are investigating the problem while the crew continues toward the planned milestone. Known details: - The toilet malfunction began after Wednesday's liftoff and has been described as hit-and-miss since then. - Mission Control has directed the crew to use backup urine collection bags while engineers look into the issue; the toilet remains available for bowel needs. - Engineers suspect ice may be blocking a line that is preventing urine from fully flushing overboard. - Crew members have reported a smell from the bathroom, which is located in the floor of the capsule and has a door and curtain for privacy. - The mission remains on course for a lunar fly-around that would travel more than 252,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth, a distance past the Apollo 13 record, and the Canadian Space Agency noted astronaut Jeremy Hansen is the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon. Summary: NASA and mission managers say the crew is managing the situation with training and backups while engineers work to identify and clear the suspected blockage. The crew continues toward the planned lunar fly-around and will make the scheduled pass; a repair timeline or further operational steps have not been announced. Undetermined at this time.