Artemis II astronauts report burning smell from malfunctioning $23M toilet

nypost.com ^ | April 4, 2026 | Shane Galvin

[V_TWIN]

Astronauts on board Artemis II reported a mysterious burning smell coming from the $23 million advanced toilet system which previously malfunctioned after takeoff.

“Regarding the smell, I just wanted to make sure you all were tracking the EGS notes of the kind of burning heater smell that was coming from toilet several times,” astronaut Chrisna Koch, who fixed the toilet on Thursday, radioed to mission control on Saturday, Space.com reported.

[Reily]

Its because they used the transporter technology!

[ridesthemiles]

BUT-—WE HAD GRAVITY!!!!

[Tom Tetroxide]

What did Randy Quaid’s character say in the movie, “National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation”?

[RetiredArmy]

Just hold it, suck it up, till you come down.

[volare737]

But I thought they still needed dilithium crystals for waste disposal.

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

Just wait for the envirowackos to chime in. They will morph the issue into Solar System Warming / Solar System Climate Crisis.

Humans are polluting outer space, the same way humans pollute the Earth.

[mjp]

For $23 million, the toilet better come with a “do not set yourself on fire” feature and a complimentary scented candle called Eau de Low Earth Orbit.

NASA said it would be a multi-burn mission; nobody thought the bathroom would take that so literally.

The EGS notes say the heater smell came from the toilet several times. Ah yes, classic staging: first burn, second burn, then splashdown in Purell.

At $23 million, it’s not a toilet—it’s a Space Throne with a built-in flamethrower to keep the paparazzi away from your dignity.

[Reily]

Just make sure everyone cycles through the transporter at least once per day.

[LukeL]

A toilet once sunk a U-Boat.

[DesertRhino]

Take a female along and she starts complaining about the toilet...

[volare737]

That’s because the men never clean it.

[SunkenCiv]

Cauliflower macaroni, but at least I don’t see broccoli or asparagus.

https://www.wtvr.com/science-and-tech/space/what-artemis-ii-astronauts-eat-nasa-space-menu-for-moon-mission

[SunkenCiv]

There was no crew on Artemis I, but now, this is NUMBER TWO...

[DownInFlames]

Just wait until they go around the dark side of the moon.

[volare737]

I hope they have a flashlight.

[central_va]

Maybe they are circling Uranus?

[Magnum44]

[fuzzylogic]

Probably the jammed fan? I suggest they turn it off.

[faithhopecharity]

a $23,000,000 toilet?
what did NASA do, beam the commode up from the stinking streets of San Fransicko?

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/san-francisco-noe-valley-expensive-toilet/3511302/

[Sarah Barracuda]

I dont want to do a TMI but I just cant pee in a diaper, cant do it