As NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon by 2026 with the Artemis program, one persistent problem remains: the management of excrement. During the Apollo missions, crews left 96 bags of waste on the Moon, some of which contained urine and feces. However, these bags, which have remained intact for more than 50 years, are now raising questions about environmental contamination and microbiological risks, as reported by the American magazine Wired.
A crucial issue
At the time, astronauts used rudimentary systems like bags taped to their posteriors. Today, the International Space Station has toilets with sophisticated suction systems for urine and stools, reports I’m interested. However, no system yet makes it possible to recycle all biological waste in space.
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The Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, makes the development of new solutions for waste management crucial. In 2020, NASA launched the “Lunar Loo Challenge” to design toilets suitable for microgravity and lunar gravity.
NASA under study
But other questions remain. Microbes in fecal waste could survive and pose environmental risks. Hugo Lopez, researcher at the CNRS, warns of the fact that these microbes “could pose a real threat to the lunar environment”. University of Adelaide professor Melissa de Zwart adds: “If there are going to be humans living permanently on the Moon, you don’t want bags of poop lying around.”
NASA must therefore develop effective waste management systems before the launch of Artemis III in 2026. The solutions found could also help improve waste management on Earth. “Waste management designs are still under study”says Michael Rapley, deputy director of the Human Landing System crew compartment at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
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