The chart-topping UK band Glass Animals has taken to social media to jokingly claim responsibility for technical issues involving the Orion space capsule’s toilet during the historic Artemis II mission.
A “Tear” in Space: The Band’s Humorous Claim
In a lighthearted Instagram video, the Oxford-based group—famed for their hit “Heat Waves”—linked their recent visit to NASA headquarters to the recent malfunctions experienced by astronauts.
The band shared footage from a visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where they were granted access to sit inside the Orion capsule. In the clip, lead singer Dave Bayley jokingly suggests that the band attempted to sneak a vial of “tears” into the capsule to promote their single, A Tear in Space. Bayley humorously claims he “actually lost” the vial inside the capsule without notifying NASA officials, implying the lost contents may have interfered with the spacecraft’s sanitation systems.
Astronauts Respond with Music
Despite the technical hiccup, the mood aboard the Orion capsule remained high. The Artemis II crew members appeared unfazed by the band’s antics; in fact, they were seen listening to the band’s 2019 track “Tokyo Drifting” (a collaboration with Denzel Curry) during their seventh day in space.
The band responded to the astronauts’ musical choice with enthusiasm:
“Omg… I love u guys. Me and my cousins and my mom made popcorn and watched the launch. You guys are inspiring us all down here on Earth.”
They added a final cheeky nod to the technical issue: “Ps sorry to hear about the toilet but glad it is fixed.”
Context: The Significance of Artemis II
While the toilet malfunctions caused minor inconveniences, they did not overshadow the monumental achievement of the mission. Launched on April 1, the Artemis II crew has officially become the farthest humans from home in history following their dramatic lunar fly-by.
The technical issues with the lavatory are a common challenge in long-duration spaceflight, where every piece of hardware must operate perfectly in extreme environments. However, NASA has since addressed the problem, and the mission continues to reach its milestones.
Mission Conclusion
The four astronauts are currently completing their journey and are scheduled to splashdown off the coast of San Diego around 20:00 EDT this Friday.
Summary: While Glass Animals used social media to jokingly blame a lost promotional vial for the Artemis II toilet issues, the astronauts remained in high spirits, celebrating their record-breaking lunar journey with the band’s music.
