The Apollo astronauts had to change many of their daily routines, including what they ate, drank, dressed, and even how they used the restroom
On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin into an initial Earth orbit of 114 by 116 miles.
The primary objective of Apollo 11 was to complete a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961: perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth.
On July 20, 1969, Armstrong’s televised image and voice described the moment as “…one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” to an estimated 650 million viewers.
The life of the Apollo astronauts on board the command and service module, or CSM, was not simple. Living in space was considerably different from Earthly life because of the restricted space and lack of gravity. The website of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum states that astronauts had to modify many everyday routines, including how they ate, drank, dressed, and even used the restroom.
Andy Burns, a student of Space history and Flight Officer / Aviator at the United States Navy (USN), explains this on Quora.
‘There were no showering/bathing facilities aboard any of the Apollo spacecraft. What washing the astronauts were able to do was via wet washcloths every now and then. The environmental control system circulated air and helped somewhat, but mostly it was just a matter of the whole crew stinking equally and eventually going nose-deaf.’
How did Apollo astronauts poop during their journey to the moon?
Extremely cautiously.
They stripped down entirely—there was no way to take a shower or change their clothes—and moved as far away from the rest of the crew members as they could. (Nowhere near far enough). Then they did what had to be done, sticking a bag with a glue-coated ring on their butts. Then, if it was firm, they would have to break it off by inserting their finger into a covered hole. (It couldn’t fall because of the absence of gravity.)
Then, to make things worse, they had to add a specific fluid that killed the bacteria in the excrement, close the bag, and thoroughly mix the contents to incorporate the chemical.
Julie Ritt, an expert in NASA history, explains on Quora;
‘That’s assuming that they managed to get the bag attached to their bootie before anything exited the premises.’
According to Popular Science, random feces were floating around in the cabin of Apollo 10 (crewed by John Young, Thomas Stafford, and Gene Cernan), and nobody acknowledged who was responsible for them.
“Oh — Who did it?” Tom Stafford asks at one point. Confused, Young and Cernan reply, “Who did what?”
Cernan: “Where did that come from?”
Stafford: “Get me a napkin quick. There’s a turd floating through the air.”
Young: “I didn’t do it. It ain’t one of mine.”
Cernan: “I don’t think it’s one of mine.”
Stafford: “Mine was a little more sticky than that. Throw that away.”
Young: “God Almighty”
(laughter)
According to HuffPost, later on, they were interrupted again:
Cernan: “Here’s another goddam turd. What’s the matter with you guys? Here, give me a —“
(laughter from Young and Stafford)
Stafford: “It was just floating around?”
Cernan: “Yes.”
Stafford (laughing): “Mine was stickier than that.”
Young: “Mine was too. It hit that bag —“
Cernan: “I don’t know whose that is. I can neither claim it nor disclaim it (laughter).”
Young: “What the hell is going on here?”
Burns goes on to explain;
‘According to the reports of the Navy rescue swimmers, who were responsible for opening the spacecraft hatch after splashdown, the sheer stink of an Apollo cabin after two weeks was awe-inspiring.’
The facilities are far better, so that any prospective astronauts who may be rethinking their career decision can rest easy. They now have a proper restroom. It’s equipped with a camera so you can perfect your aim!
Photo by NASA