How do astronauts pee and poop in space?

Did you know? Astronauts eat freeze-dried meals when they go on missions in space. But how do they pee and poop? Yes, because the conditions there are quite different from ours, which doesn't always make things as practical as they are here on Earth. Have you ever asked yourself this question? In this article, we'll explain how astronauts do their business in space.

How do astronauts urinate in space?

To relieve their bladder, each astronaut has their own personal collector. The latter takes the form of a funnel with a long pipe through which the urine will circulate.

In the International Space Station, urine will be recycled and transformed into drinking water.

How do astronauts poop in space?

Defecation, on the other hand, is done on very narrow toilets which have the same shape as ours but in very different dimensions.

In fact, if we are used to being on toilets of 30 to 40 centimeters in diameter, astronauts have to make do with 10. To help them do their needs, straps are available.

In this way, they avoid the risk of drifting.

Toilet in space: what about the shower?

While we're on the subject, did you know that astronauts use very small amounts of water to shower?

Typically, the water is already soapy, and since gravity causes water to float in space, astronauts must quickly grab the water and rub it onto the body part that needs washing.

For rinsing, they use a towel where they apply pure water, in moderate quantity because water saves space.