The History of Space Toilets and the Development of Toilet Technology

The collection and storage of human waste for disposal or recycling during space flight is an integral and essential life support function, along with the disposal or recycling of carbon dioxide and the provision of oxygen, water, and food. Waste reception devices have been used since the first manned flights and have come a long way from the simplest disposable manual devices to complex space toilets that ensure the comfort of the crew during long flights and preliminary preparation of waste for subsequent processing in a regeneration complex. This article provides an overview of this history; an analysis of the technologies and equipment designs that have been and are being used.