Clogged in Space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - As the countdown for Saturday's launch of space shuttle Discovery began on Wednesday, a key part for the International Space Station -- a new pump for the toilet -- was en route from Russia, NASA officials said.
The station's sole toilet has been causing headaches for the past week. The 29-pound (13-kg) pump is coming under diplomatic pouch from Russia.
How it works:
The toilet is operated by air pressure. A fan does the work that gravity does on the ground. Urine is sucked inside the toilet and is collected in a 20-liter container. When these are full they are discarded in the Progress. For collecting solid waste the toilet has plastic bags you place inside, and air is sucked through tiny holes in the bag. Everything gets collected in the bag (hopefully) and the bags self-close with an elastic string around the opening. You then push the closed bag through a hole into an aluminum container, and put a new bag in place for the next person.
Reuters report HERE
Slate HERE