SpaceX’s civilian space mission, Inspiration4, had a big problem in orbit: the Crew Dragon capsule bathroom.
The same Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, noted a “small problem” in the first flight of t Space tourism company.
Musk said the next flight would have “improved restrooms.” He added: “We had some challenges on this flight.”
The billionaire did not elaborate on what these challenges were or how exactly the toilets would be upgraded.
Awesome Elon
Heated pizza 🍕 next mission?
— Tesla in the Gong 🇦🇺🦘🤖🚕 (@TeslaGong) September 21, 2021
Bathrooms facing Space
In July, Jared Isaacman, one of the Inspiration4 passengers, noted that the Crew Dragon toilet was located on the roof of the spacecraft and featured a glass dome, meaning crew members had a 360 view. Degrees while using the bathroom.
“It’s not a lot of privacy. But you have this kind of privacy curtain that goes across the top of the spacecraft so that you can separate yourself from others,” Isaacman said.
Isaacman added that learning to use the toilet on the spacecraft was part of the rigorous pre-flight training of civilian astronauts.
Jared Isaacman, 38, is the head of a financial services company and an experienced pilot. Pricing has not been disclosed, but presumably, he paid SpaceX tens of millions of dollars for this experience.
Isaacman offered three seats to strangers: Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year-old medical assistant who became the youngest American to go into Space; Sian Proctor, a 51-year-old geography teacher; and Chris Sembroski, 42, an alumnus of the United States Air Force.