Typically when SpaceX sends a Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit, it’s headed to the ISS to deliver astronauts and cargo. Recently, SpaceX announced that it would be launching the world’s first all-civilian crew into orbit and was targeting a launch date as early as September. Some new details about the spacecraft and how the civilian crew will live while aboard have surfaced, and it’s very interesting.
It turns out the crew aboard the Dragon capsule will have the best view from the bathroom you could ask for. An incredible view from the toilet is enabled because SpaceX replaced the normal docking connector in the capsule’s nose with a cupola. The toilet happens to be in that cupola, and a curtain separates the person needing to do their business from the rest of the crew.
That means while the civilian astronauts are using the facilities, they will be able to stare out at the earth and into deep space. It’s described as the first space toilet with a 360-degree view. According to mission commander Jared Isaacman, passengers will be able to look out the window as they handle their business. Isaacman is a billionaire entrepreneur and pilot who purchased four seats on the SpaceX capsule for the first civilian mission to space.
The mission is the first ever to have no professional astronauts on board. Issacman said there isn’t a ton of privacy, and apparently, the toilet wasn’t purposefully designed to have an incredible view. It just happens to be positioned where the cupola is. The mission has been dubbed Inspiration4 and could launch as early as September 15.
The crew is expected to orbit the earth at an altitude higher than the ISS for three days and conduct experiments while in orbit. The real purpose of the cupola is to allow the passengers to view Earth and look into space. The toilet just happens to be positioned in that area.
