SpaceX Addresses Leakage Issues on Crew Dragon Toilet Before Weekend Launch SpaceX's Crew-3 mission is set to lift off on Sunday.

By Chloe Arrojado

Orlando Sentinel | Getty Images

Most people don't think twice about going to the bathroom, but when you're going to space, a faulty toilet can be a critical issue — which is exactly the problem SpaceX Crew Dragon is fixing ahead of its weekend launch.

During the craft's Inspiration4 mission in September, the capsule alerted astronauts that the toilet wasn't working properly. The crew found that the problem had to do with the toilet's fan, which is essential in proper suction of human waste.

"There's a storage tank where the urine goes to be stored [and] there's a tube that came disconnected or came unglued," SpaceX head of mission assurance William Gerstenmaier told CNN. "That allowed urine essentially to not go into the storage tank, but essentially go into the fan system."

Related: SpaceX Will Make Elon Musk a Trillionaire, According to Predictions

Although the four astronauts didn't notice at the time, the SpaceX team later observed contaminated areas on the floor.

This particular capsule is still at the International Space Station and is set to return next month. Now, SpaceX crew are testing to make sure the leakage hasn't dangerously corroded the contaminated areas.

"We'll double-check things, we'll triple checks things, and we got a couple more samples we'll pull out of the chambers and inspect," Gerstenmaier added. "But we'll be ready to go and make sure the crew is safe to return."

For the capsule that's set to go to space on Sunday, the crew decided to weld the tube, rather than glue it. And though NASA has yet to approve the fix, officials from NASA and SpaceX remain confident this won't interfere with the forthcoming mission.

Related: Elon Musk Teams Up With Netflix to Stream SpaceX Space

Chloe Arrojado

Entrepreneur Staff

Editorial Assistant

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Data & Recovery

This Software Designed for Families Can Also Improve Work Life

Block ads and protect your privacy at work with a lifetime subscription to AdGuard

Side Hustle

She Spent Her Honeymoon Working on a Side Hustle. It Raised $35 Million and Counts Celebrities Among Its Investors.

Blake Geffen, founder of luxury accessory rental company Vivrelle, "skipped the bellinis" in the Maldives — and got to work on her company instead.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

Is Your SEO Stagnant? Here's How to Adjust When Your Strategy Isn't Working

Discover why your SEO strategy is not providing the results you need and how to fix it.

Growing a Business

Why "Doing Less" Is The Key To Scaling Your Small Business These Next 6 Months

We all need to spend more time thinking, not just doing. Here's my plan for this year.

Devices

How to Get a MacBook Air for Only $230

Grab this refurbished model before they're sold out.