New toilets delivered to space station
November 25th 2008 On November the 17th the international space station was outfitted with new facilities, including a new toilet , delivered by astronauts onboard the Endeavour shuttle. A major part of the new equipment is a purification machine that can turn urine into water, reported the Guardian.
Launched from the Kennedy space centre in Florida four days prior, the Endeavour docked at the station 220 miles above India, so the crew could unload its cargo. The equipment will double the space station's capacity, allowing it to be manned by six crew members from next year as it nears completion in 2010.
Nasa is expected to phase out shuttle resupply missions in 2010. Only nine more flights are scheduled, as Nasa is developing a new craft it says will be capable of transporting astronauts to the moon as well as the space station. This means the purification machine, which also deals with sweat, is essential.
Endeavour's crew will spend 11 days in orbit, although this is likely to be extended by a day to allow extra time to collect samples for testing from the purification system.
Kitchen equipment, two sleeping compartments and an exercise machine were also unloaded. More articles from Cleaning Matters: | 
