Artemis II Crew Jokes About 'Most Important Piece of Equipment On Board' After Fixing Faulty Toilet

The astronauts encountered a very human challenge when the Orion capsule's toilet malfunctioned shortly after launch.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 7:06pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and grays, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise mechanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex interconnected systems that sustain life within a spacecraft.An abstract visualization of the intricate life support systems that keep astronauts safe and comfortable during long-duration space missions.Houston Today

The crew of the Artemis II moonshot mission called Houston to report a problem with the 'lunar loo' that forced the astronauts to use contingency urine storage bags. With the help of mission control, astronaut Christina Koch, who described herself as the 'space plumber', was able to fix the malfunctioning toilet. The crew joked that the toilet is 'probably the most important piece of equipment on board'.

Why it matters

The successful repair of the Orion spacecraft's toilet highlights the importance of having functional life support systems for long-duration space missions. Malfunctions of critical equipment like the toilet can pose significant challenges for astronauts and mission control, underscoring the need for robust and reliable systems.

The details

Shortly after the Artemis II launch, the crew called Houston to report an issue with the spacecraft's toilet. Mission control guided astronaut Christina Koch through troubleshooting steps, and she was able to reactivate the toilet after allowing it to run for a minute. Koch joked that she is the 'space plumber' and that the toilet is 'probably the most important piece of equipment on board'.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on Wednesday, April 3, 2026.

The players

Christina Koch

An Artemis II astronaut who was able to fix the malfunctioning toilet on the Orion spacecraft, describing herself as the 'space plumber'.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian astronaut on the Artemis II crew who declared that 'Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of' on this journey around the moon.

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II crew.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“Okay, Christina, we're ready for you to attempt reactivation of the toilet by removing the urine hose from the cradle. Please allow it to run for one minute, and then if that's joy, you can deactivate toilet and give us a call.”

— Mission Control

“It works!”

— Christina Koch, Artemis II Astronaut

“We were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be just fine. It was just an issue, I think, of sitting for a long time and needing a little time to warm up. A priming issue. But we did originally think that there could have been something potentially fouling up the motor. And luckily, we are all systems go!”

— Christina Koch, Artemis II Astronaut

“I'm the space plumber. I'm proud to call myself the space plumber. I like to say that it is probably the most important piece of equipment on board.”

— Christina Koch, Artemis II Astronaut

“Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of, and it's your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the moon.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II Astronaut

What’s next

As the Artemis II mission continues its journey around the moon, the crew will continue to monitor the performance of the spacecraft's systems, including the toilet, to ensure a successful and safe return to Earth.

The takeaway

The Artemis II crew's ability to quickly troubleshoot and fix the malfunctioning toilet on the Orion spacecraft demonstrates the resilience and problem-solving skills of astronauts, as well as the importance of having reliable life support systems for long-duration space missions.