Cosmonaut bemoans ISS toilet row

Anyone else...

...thinking about 2010? American and Russian astronauts on a join mission, forced to split up due to political issues back one Earth, sound familiar? The next thing we know we'll have a planet missing and an extra sun.

easy solution

No one can tell you "no" if you don't bother asking in the first place.

If this had been the case during the apollo missions...

..."How Do You Go To The Bathroom In Space"

would have been a very different book.

"Step 1 - Seek permission from the facility's controlling space administration"

Fact really is stranger than fiction

Did they have this sort of trouble on Star Trek?

The dangers of irony

Back when the Russians started space tourism, the Americans were upset, so they complained that the tourists had not been properly trained in the use of the facility. Then the Americans toilet broke, and asked to used the Russian one, which is a different design. The Russians tried some irony, and said the Americans lacked proper toilet training. That was perhaps a mistake as many Americans have difficulty recognising irony. It looks like some of them still have not got the joke.

A storm in a pee-pot?

Eh?

Take it outside

Of course he could always use the outdoor amenities – you know, the one with the little half moon carved out of the door...

Not Chuck!

It's Tim-the-Tool-man Taylor. Sent to make silly gags while adding more power to the toilet.

Why not just go piss outside?

@Jeffrey: They're on 24hr video surveillance and when they get back to land they might not be directly punished but just find they get bumped down the pecking order a bit.

I just don't get it

I understand that you might charge someone to take a person to space, or equipment to space that is not from your own nation.

(why should Russia pay to take Americans into space, why should Americans pay to take Russians into space?).

but really, why is it that the American government have responded to this realistic concern, that it costs to take people to space, with a pathetic retort of well you can't use our bits then?

it costs hundred, possibly even thousands of dollars per kilo to take matter into space, it can't possibly take that much to relieve yourself.

in essence, what I'm saying is that I agree with the statement from the Russians, it costs to get to space, so if we take your men/equipment then you can pay us, (and visa versa). but once we're up there then lets just share all the equipment and facilities.

I mean, what if the air cleaning/scrubbing was done by Russian equipment, are they going to have to have an American model as well? or do the Americans have to have respirators and tanked oxygen?

@ Oliver Mayes

Yes, I was going to mention 2010. Remember the text at the end:

Use them together. Use them in peace.

Maybe next year something will happen....

Dump the core

They should just use each others facilities and then make a point of reporting the events with full details at great length to ground control. Repeat until such time as the news networks get hold of it and start rebroadcasting it.

[inset remark about "wiping" and "shit-eating grin" here]

Meanwhile back in 2001

"Open the loo door, Hal"

"I'm sorry, Gennady, I'm afraid I can't do that"

"What's the problem?"

"I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do"

As the world turns

Everything American politician learned, they learned in kindergarten. How to be bullies in the playground was their big one. Kicking sand on people while they're down was another. I especially liked the lesson on "do as I say, don't do as I do". So the Russians have a commercial (ie: capitalist pig dog) space program, whereas the Americans evidently have a socialist, government funded space program to match the socialism they show their bankers.

My how the world has turned.

(open the door Hal. OK, but I just had beans. Close the door Hal, for all that's holy CLOSE THE DOOR)