The astronauts aboard the first moon-bound mission in over half a century have encountered an unexpected inconvenience: a malfunctioning toilet. This technical hiccup rekindles memories of NASA’s Apollo program, reminding us that even the most advanced space technology can face earthly issues.

Pilot Victor Glover humorously noted the changing perspective as the spacecraft travels through space, stating, “The Earth is quite small, and the moon is definitely getting bigger.” His observation underscores the awe-inspiring nature of their mission, despite the less glamorous challenges they face.

Mission Control has advised the crew to rely on backup urine collection bags until the Orion capsule’s bathroom can be repaired. This issue first arose shortly after their launch on Wednesday and has persisted intermittently since then.

The Artemis II toilet, although suffering from problems now, had been previously tested aboard the International Space Station. This prior testing aimed to iron out any potential issues, though it seems the complexities of space travel continue to present new obstacles.

The so-called lunar loo malfunctioned following Wednesday’s liftoff and has been hit-and-miss ever since.

A version of the Artemis II toilet was tested on the International Space Station several years ago.

Engineers suspect ice may be blocking the line that is preventing urine from completely flushing overboard. The toilet is still open for No. 2 business.

Debbie Korth, NASA’s Orion program deputy manager, said the astronauts have also reported a smell coming from the bathroom, which is buried in the floor of the capsule with a door and curtain for privacy.

“Space toilets and bathrooms are something everybody can really understand .. it’s always a challenge,” she said, noting that the space shuttle toilet was also often on the fritz.

John Honeycutt, chair of the mission management team, said it is human nature to be interested in the space commode, and even though it is “in a good state right now,” he’d like it to be working at 100 per cent.

“They’re OK,” he said of the astronauts. “They trained to manage through the situation.”

Artemis II is poised to set a distance record for humans, traveling more than 400,000 kilometers from Earth before hanging a U-turn behind the moon and heading home without stopping or entering lunar orbit.

The record is currently held by Apollo 13.

The Canadian Space Agency celebrated the country’s role in the mission, speaking from Quebec with astronaut Jeremy Hansen as he headed toward his lunar rendezvous. Hansen is the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon.

“Today he is making history for Canada,” Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell said. “As we watch him taking this bold step into the unknown, let his journey remind us that Canada’s future is written by those who dare to reach for more.”

In the live televised linkup, Hansen said he has already witnessed “extraordinary” views from NASA’s Orion capsule.

Hansen, Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are the world’s first lunar astronauts since Apollo 17’s crew of three in 1972. Koch and Glover are the first female and first Black astronauts to the moon, respectively.

Their nearly 10-day mission — ending with a Pacific splashdown on April 10 — is the first step in NASA’s bold plans for a sustainable moon base.

The space agency is aiming for a landing by two astronauts near the lunar south pole in 2028.