NASA’s new $23 million (£16.5 million) toilet was put to the test before being launched to the ISS in September 2020
x2 © NASA
Of course, food consumption is just the start of a complex set of digestive processes that end – quite literally – at the other end. With no gravity, going to the toilet in space is a tricky procedure. On Glenn’s first flight there were no provisions, and after a launchpad delay, he ended up urinating in his suit. Apollo astronauts didn’t fare much better, having to use a combination of absorbent pads, sheaths and bags – not always successfully.