The US space agency NASA is set to test a new zero-gravity toilet to the International Space Station (ISS) before its probable use in a future mission to the Moon.
The $23m (195 crores BDT) toilet, which sucks waste from the body, will be sent to the ISS on a cargo ship.
According to NASA, the toilet's "vacuum system" was designed for the comfort of female astronauts, unlike previous models.
The toilet was supposed to be sent to the space station from Virginia by the rocket on Thursday afternoon. But three minutes before the launch, the mission was aborted due to a technical error. If the engineers can fix the errors, they will try again.
According to NASA, the Titanium Space Toilet will help in missions to more remote areas. The vacuum system is being used here to discharge body wastes in the zero gravity region.
The toilet uses a vacuum system to suck waste away from the body in a zero-gravity environment. For privacy, the toilet is located inside a cubicle - just like in a public bathroom on Earth.
It weighs 45kg (100lbs) and standing 28in (71cm) tall, the toilet is 65% smaller and 40% lighter than the one currently in use.
NASA project manager Melissa McKinley said the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) toilet has been designed for a long time. The commode seat and urine funnel are more refined than before. Women astronauts will feel more comfortable.
In a video posted to Twitter, Nasa astronaut Jessica Meir described the toilet as a "vacuum system".
"So imagine you have a vacuum cleaner and you're sucking things down. You turn on a big fan, so that's pulling everything down inside the toilet," she said.She added that this toilet will process and recycle urine as drinking water for astronauts in a special way. Source:https://www.daily-bangladesh.com:
