In a recent video shared by the European Space Agency, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti gives viewers a tour of the bathroom on the International Space Station to explain exactly how astronauts relieve themselves in a weightless environment. Perhaps astronaut bathroom usage has increased since the space station’s first espresso machine was recently installed.
Due to the recent crash of Russia’s Progress spacecraft, Cristoforetti’s return trip to Earth has been delayed until June 2015. That extra time will officially give Cristoforetti two separate spaceflight records. At the end of her now-extended 199 to 201 day mission (depending on the actual return trip), Cristoforetti will hold the title of longest single spaceflight by a woman, currently held by NASA astronaut Sunita Williams with 195 days. Cristoforetti will also claim the title of Italian astronaut with the most overall time in space, a record currently held by Paolo Nespoli who has spent 174 days in space over the course of two separate missions.
