World2 min(s) read
Published 13:23 03 Apr 2026 GMT
Basic household item is 'most important' thing on board Artemis II as mission to the moon finally sets off
The Artemis II mission has just launched - the first mission beyond the Earth's low orbit since 1972.
Launching yesterday, Artemis II is hoping to kickstart the long-standing Artemis program, which will aim to establish a permanent base on the Moon for mankind sometime in the 2030s.
But as the four astronauts launched on their historic voyage yesterday, they'll be carrying some essential supplies that may surprise you.
Because you could very well find these items inside your own home.
What basic household item is the 'most important thing' on board Artemis II?
Yes, apparently the most valuable item currently onboard the Artemis II spacecraft is the humble toilet plunger.
Moments after the Artemis II launched, the crew noticed that an amber light was flashing on the toilet's Universal Waste Management System, which is used to collect the crew's urine.
The toilet wasn't totally broken, but the prospect of not being able to pee for the 10 days it takes to complete the journey would be unbearable for anyone.
It's very awkward for any toilet to break, but this one is a particularly expensive one. The total cost for the UWMS is understood to be $30 million, so it's imperative that it keeps working without further delay or breakage.
Crewmember Christina Koch told the BBC that the toilet plunger "is the most important piece of equipment in space."
"We were all breathing a sigh of relief [when the issue was fixed]," Koch continued. "It was a priming issue."
Now, you'll be glad to hear that the issues are all sorted, the system is fixed and it's all systems go. Quite literally.
What is the Artemis II mission?
The Artemis II mission is history in the making. It's the first time a manned spacecraft will travel beyond Earth's low atmosphere since 1972.
The flyby mission - which will pass by, but not land on, the Moon - is a primer for a planned mission in 2028, which would take man onto the surface of the Moon for the first time since 1972.
If all goes well, then the Artemis program will hopefully establish a permanent base on the Moon in the 2030s, to then use it as a stepping stone for further deep space travel in the coming decades and centuries.
They'll probably have to leave a space plunger or two up there, too - in case of blocked toilet emergencies.