NASA pooping in space dilemma solved?

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Luckyfish

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  1. Diaper Lover
  2. Incontinent
Hi guys did you read the article about NASA solving pooping in space wearing a space suit?it's basically a colonoscopy bag, designed by a doctor with a padded seat containment vessel.This is the front runner.Knowing how the tech in diapers were brought to us with maximum absorbancy diapers.I would love your opinions.
Is this the end of diapers.Will we all wear poop capable suits?
It won't be long before this gets marketed for babies and adults needing this.
This ruins the diaper thing for me.
What you guys think?
 
Hi yes.In SA I got a fresh article referring to this yesterday.Doesnt change anything tho.
Are we diaper wearers doomed to this?Or is there a place for diapers for the next 40 years?
 
Umm. . . No. Disposable diapers were invented in 1946, in Sweden, waaaaay before we went to space, literally for travel, like by ground. The first ones we'd recognize as being truly disposable were invented in the early '50s, by a dude who's last name was Mills, and they were invented for babies.

Fun fact, the Maximum Absorbency Garment, a big, burly, acceptable name for adult diaper, as most astronauts are former military, wasn't even a thought, until an astronaut radioed saying he had to pee during liftoff. They'd thought to put a bathroom on the shuttle, but to unbuckle to use it right that moment, would've killed him from G forces, so, they just told him to wet himself.

I doubt the bags in suits are really much like colostomy bags, as the intestines have to be surgically rerouted for that. Even though they aren't colostomies, why inflict a poop bag on a baby, or IC person, or our crew? Diapers work, and are cheaper. We're not doomed.

A colonoscopy is an endoscopic exam of the inside of the colon. An endoscope is a long, tubular instrument, meant for taking pictures.
 
My understanding of the space diaper is that it is cost prohibitive to become commonplace. I predict the disposable diaper will continue to exist for quite awhile. There is a new jellyfish extract that will replace sap soon, as it is far more absorbent, and ecological. The next revolutionary advancement in external incontinence management will involve nano-tech, and will break down human waste into energy. Imagine something like a skin tight pair of PUL like underwear with nanobots breaking down waste and replacable batteries on the outside. Except in this case the batteries get charged. Then there would be almost pure water output and a small amount of sterile solid waste with zero energy potential. Eventually everyone will wear such a device, as the conversion to energy will make sense ecologically and for time savings and increased hygene. The nanobots will also prevent bacteria of any kind by breaking them down too. Well I can dream can't I?

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MarcusP said:
My understanding of the space diaper is that it is cost prohibitive to become commonplace. I predict the disposable diaper will continue to exist for quite awhile. There is a new jellyfish extract that will replace sap soon, as it is far more absorbent, and ecological. The next revolutionary advancement in external incontinence management will involve nano-tech, and will break down human waste into energy. Imagine something like a skin tight pair of PUL like underwear with nanobots breaking down waste and replacable batteries on the outside. Except in this case the batteries get charged. Then there would be almost pure water output and a small amount of sterile solid waste with zero energy potential. Eventually everyone will wear such a device, as the conversion to energy will make sense ecologically and for time savings and increased hygene. The nanobots will also prevent bacteria of any kind by breaking them down too. Well I can dream can't I?

Also, catheters and butt bags already exist. This space diaper is basically a catheter/butt bag with a fan to dry out the poop. Also from the description, it seems abnormally bulky, as there is a "cushion" around the butt tube. And the fan has to take up space too. Far too bulky for earthly use!
 
Luckyfish said:
Hi yes.In SA I got a fresh article referring to this yesterday.Doesnt change anything tho.
Are we diaper wearers doomed to this?Or is there a place for diapers for the next 40 years?

Urine isn't the big problem. The MAG (Maximum Absorbency Garment, aka "space diaper", worn on longer space walks AND during takeoff and landing) takes care of urine, it doesn't need to be managed for any length of time. Poop's the problem. I think they wanted something that would let you stay in a messy diaper/whatever for several days, and that's something that skin just won't tolerate.

IIRC the problem isn't so much just the poop alone. It's when it mixes with urine that it becomes much more irritating to skin. So I think they were trying to find a way to keep the two separate in addition to protecting the skin.
 
Luckyfish said:
Hi yes.In SA I got a fresh article referring to this yesterday.Doesnt change anything tho.
Are we diaper wearers doomed to this?Or is there a place for diapers for the next 40 years?

My apologies mate! Cool to hear you're from the best state in OZ :)

Don't think it changes much, it was a pretty specific use/requirement. Heck, NASA even said they won't be using it anytime soon. I dunno what the future holds, but if anything with the aging of the population in the States, the maker is growing VERY rapidly
 
Urine is recycled from space suits, purified and drunk as water. Mmmmm....doesn't that sound appetizing. As for the space poop suit, can you imagine walking around in that big thing? I don't think we have to worry about diapers being replaced.
 
SpAzpieSweeTot said:
Umm. . . No. Disposable diapers were invented in 1946, in Sweden, waaaaay before we went to space, literally for travel, like by ground. The first ones we'd recognize as being truly disposable were invented in the early '50s, by a dude who's last name was Mills, and they were invented for babies.

Fun fact, the Maximum Absorbency Garment, a big, burly, acceptable name for adult diaper, as most astronauts are former military, wasn't even a thought, until an astronaut radioed saying he had to pee during liftoff. They'd thought to put a bathroom on the shuttle, but to unbuckle to use it right that moment, would've killed him from G forces, so, they just told him to wet himself.

I doubt the bags in suits are really much like colostomy bags, as the intestines have to be surgically rerouted for that. Even though they aren't colostomies, why inflict a poop bag on a baby, or IC person, or our crew? Diapers work, and are cheaper. We're not doomed.

A colonoscopy is an endoscopic exam of the inside of the colon. An endoscope is a long, tubular instrument, meant for taking pictures.

Fyi, Mills did not invent disposable diapers anymore than Henry Ford invented the automobile.

Look up Marion Donovan.
 
Slomo said:
Fyi, Mills did not invent disposable diapers anymore than Henry Ford invented the automobile.

Look up Marion Donovan.

Oh, I did, but the source I looked at only mentioned the Boater, her first attempt, but not her second. Thanks for telling me.
 
I would totally buy and use a wearable device that allowed me to do a poo safely and discreetly anywhere, anytime. We already have that level of functionality for wetting, nappies do a very good job and if one can't wear a nappy for whatever reason there are catheter and bag options. But while nappies are fine for dealing with poo in private or remote locations, the smell is too much of an issue in a public place to consider them a general solution. I did once make truly airtight plastic pants that sealed to my body, successfully achieving their aim of sealing in all smells. I messed heavily at a busy supermarket checkout and no-one knew anything, but the pants were difficult to fit, uncomfortable, and would have caused skin damage after extensive wear. Existing fecal collection pouches work within limits and minimise escape of smells, but are inadequate for general wear. They are normally intended for bedridden patients etc and the attachment to the anal / perineal area is not secure enough to withstand vigorous activity. I was planning to revisit these and try various adaptations, to see how securely they could be retained in place. Wearing a pouch inside a nappy would give the best of both worlds, if possible. But if there were an off-the-shelf product that really worked, I would pay a premium for it. I wonder though, for space applications, whether they can or even need to tackle the smell aspect if used within an atmosphere. If not, then the solution won't be so useful to us at ground level.
 
SpAzpieSweeTot said:
Umm. . . No. Disposable diapers were invented in 1946, in Sweden, waaaaay before we went to space, literally for travel, like by ground. The first ones we'd recognize as being truly disposable were invented in the early '50s, by a dude who's last name was Mills, and they were invented for babies.

Huh? I thought they were invented by Valerie Hunter Gordon in 1947...?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-37706756
 
tiny said:
Huh? I thought they were invented by Valerie Hunter Gordon in 1947...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-37706756
I think the confusion may very well be what constitutes disposable. How disposable we talking, disposable outer covers, with washable inner guts, an all-disposable diaper, with an outer cover more like paper than anything we're used to, or something modern enough we could look at it and go, "Really old disposable diapey"?

I shall look at that link, good sir.

Wait. . . The British lady's had poppers in the Queen's English, snaps in ours, but that means. . . Were the snaps disposable? That's amazing, if true, because when I was little, plastic backing was all we had, and it was (unintentionally) used to torture me emotionally. Velcro, same deal. I have bad memories of having my AFOs put on and taken off, and the Velcro isn't a good sound, not to mention, my sister, who's more IC than I, has actually confused my Velcro tabs being stuck and unstuck, with hers coming undone. We've thin walls. Snaps have never tortured me. Could it be?
Paxe said:
I would totally buy and use a wearable device that allowed me to do a poo safely and discreetly anywhere, anytime. We already have that level of functionality for wetting, nappies do a very good job and if one can't wear a nappy for whatever reason there are catheter and bag options. But while nappies are fine for dealing with poo in private or remote locations, the smell is too much of an issue in a public place to consider them a general solution. I did once make truly airtight plastic pants that sealed to my body, successfully achieving their aim of sealing in all smells. I messed heavily at a busy supermarket checkout and no-one knew anything, but the pants were difficult to fit, uncomfortable, and would have caused skin damage after extensive wear. Existing fecal collection pouches work within limits and minimise escape of smells, but are inadequate for general wear. They are normally intended for bedridden patients etc and the attachment to the anal / perineal area is not secure enough to withstand vigorous activity. I was planning to revisit these and try various adaptations, to see how securely they could be retained in place. Wearing a pouch inside a nappy would give the best of both worlds, if possible. But if there were an off-the-shelf product that really worked, I would pay a premium for it. I wonder though, for space applications, whether they can or even need to tackle the smell aspect if used within an atmosphere. If not, then the solution won't be so useful to us at ground level.
Smell is actually a giganenormous problem in space. If I remember correctly, more so in the shuttle, and on the space station. Thank you, Science channel. There's actually a team of, "noses," specifically to make sure smells don't offend, because they can make people anything from unfocused to ill. There was one astronaut who had a family member who worked at a bakery. The astronaut cleared bagels with the people in charge (Also a big deal, crumbs. . . Equipment. . . Not good. Someone snuck a sandwich in once, and it was a big damn deal.) Anyway, dude wanted garlic, but was told it'd stink up the place, so, he settled for sesame.
 
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SpAzpieSweeTot said:
Fun fact, the Maximum Absorbency Garment, a big, burly, acceptable name for adult diaper, as most astronauts are former military, wasn't even a thought, until an astronaut radioed saying he had to pee during liftoff. They'd thought to put a bathroom on the shuttle, but to unbuckle to use it right that moment, would've killed him from G forces, so, they just told him to wet himself.

Not exactly. America's first Mercury astronaut, Alan B. Shepard, was locked in his capsule for a 15-minute suborbital flight in May, 1961. Holds in the countdown meant that he had to relieve himself. Dr von Braun, who was head of the space program at that point, denied Shepard permission to urinate in the pressure suit, for fear that doing so would start a fire. Finally, von Braun relented. Shepard, who had a wry sense of humor and amused his colleagues with José Jimenez imitations, said, "W-e-l-l, I'm a wetback now." The incident is immortalized in the Tom Wolfe book "The Right Stuff," and in the movie made from the book.
 
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