NASA Spent $23 Million on a Space Toilet: Artemis II Astronauts Are Glad They Did - Open Magazine
## Was the UWMS redesigned for female astronauts? Yes. With direct input from female crew members, NASA redesigned the UWMS with longer hoses and improved positioning, enabling simultaneous use of both functions - a critical upgrade from systems built exclu...
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In late March 2026, Shanghai‑based Agibot announced that it had rolled out its 10,000th humanoid robot, a milestone that underscores the rapid scaling of Chinese manufacturers; the same period saw China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issue its first national standard system for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence, covering foundational standards, neuromorphic computing, limbs, integration, applications, safety and ethics. Across the globe, prices are falling sharply—Unitree Robotics reports the average cost of its humanoid units dropped from roughly $85 000 in 2023 to about $25 000 in 2025, with the broader market now ranging from $16 000 for entry‑level platforms to over $250 000 for advanced industrial models. Major industrial players are moving from pilots to deployments: BMW is testing Hexagon’s wheeled humanoid at its Leipzig plant, NVIDIA is collaborating with global robotics firms to embed physical AI in humanoids, and Amazon has acquired New York‑based Fauna Robotics, bringing its Sprout research platform into its portfolio. New entrants such as Noble Machines’ Moby humanoid are emerging, while Agibot reports growing real‑world use of its robots in logistics, retail, hospitality and increasingly in industrial workflows across Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East, signalling a shift from niche prototypes to scalable commercial demand.
Was the UWMS redesigned for female astronauts?
Yes. With direct input from female crew members, NASA redesigned the UWMS with longer hoses and improved positioning, enabling simultaneous use of both functions - a critical upgrade from systems built exclusively around male anatomy.
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HomeWorldNASA Spent $23 Million on a Space Toilet: Artemis II Astronauts Are Glad They Did
NASA Spent $23 Million on a Space Toilet: Artemis II Astronauts Are Glad They Did
Shashank Bhardwaj
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The Universal Waste Management System is a vacuum-driven toilet installed inside Orion's dedicated hygiene bay
According to Space.com, feces are sucked into a disposable bag seated inside a base canister. Credits: AI Generated image ## How is solid waste managed in Orion?
According to Space.com, feces are sucked into a disposable bag seated inside a base canister. Once full, the bag is sealed and compressed into a holding container, which returns to Earth at mission's end.
Is there actual privacy in Orion's tiny bathroom?
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The hygiene bay features a door and optional privacy curtains. According to Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, it is "the one place... we can actually feel like we're alone for a moment."
Was the UWMS redesigned for female astronauts?
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