The latest SpaceX mission attracted unwelcome headlines when it transpired an adhesive had failed leading to the capsule’s toilet becoming unusable.
A tube became unglued in the Dragon capsule during SpaceX’s first flight, spilling urine on fans and beneath the floor, with the liquid and fault undetected for some time (as reported by Space.com and many other news outlets).
The leak was fixed by making the connection welded, so there was no longer a joint that could become disconnected.
Despite the fix, the problem has endured. Crew recently using the capsule for the (relatively) short journey from the International Space Station to earth had to resort to using “undergarments” with the toilet off limits.
Pundits may observe that the news serves as reminder that while fastening devices and methods are often not the most glamourous aspect of a project, when they fail there can be serious and indeed unpleasant consequences.
PIC CREDIT: NASA
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