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#1 2008-04-07 22:38:04

Swoosh
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2008-01-28
Posts: 33

Re: Toilet Systems

I did a quick search on this and came up empty handed - sorry if this has been discussed before!

Assuming that a MarsDirect-style mission is undertaken (with artificial gravity to minimise the exposure to zero-gee), is there any reason you couldn't get away with a relatively normal toilet in the Hab? I'm thinking something like what they have on airlines. For the couple of weeks (tops) that astronauts are exposed to zero-gee, they could just rough it - collect it in disposable bags, like was done in Apollo. Considering the vast majority of mission time is spent in 1/3 gee, this would not be too bad. And it'd be great for the morale of the astronauts to be able to use a normal toilet for the majority of the mission.

If the ERV is to travel in zero-gee, then it'd obviously need a zero-gee toilet, but it will necessarily be a separate system to that on the Hab anyway.

Comments/criticism welcomed, as always.

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#2 2008-04-08 02:22:25

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

Re: Toilet Systems

One things for sure - we won't be throwing away the faeces. That faeces is your next meal. It's fertiliser. Straight into the nutritional solution facility to help make the solution that will be used to growing crops hydroponically.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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#3 2008-04-08 03:41:16

zhar2
Member
From: london-uk
Registered: 2008-03-17
Posts: 106

Re: Toilet Systems

I think Squat toilets would be adequate for mars, they require less space and that same space can double as a shower, they can be easly made, even more than than normal toilets.

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