/sci/ - Science & Math

>As he grew increasingly uncomfortable, Shepard radioed the launch centre to ask to be removed from the capsule in order to let nature take its course.
>Werner von Braun, the German born rocket scientist in charge of the launch came back with a firm no. The last thing he needed was for his rocket to be ready but with a missing astronaut.

>So Shepard had only one solution left to him. He radioed again – could he pee in the suit? Again the answer came back no.
>Inside the suit Shepard was attached to four electrocardiograph pads, a respirometer and a rectal thermometer (ouch!). These would record his vital signs and how he reacted physically to the changing conditions of the flight.
>Urine inside the suit would cause short circuits and possibly even shocks that could injure or incapacitate Shepard.

>The increasingly desperate astronaut radioed a third time. He had to go; could they switch the medical monitoring off?
>There was a delay as von Braun and the launch team held a discussion before finally cutting the power to the electrodes and giving Shepard permission to relieve himself.

I never realized how small the Mercury-Redstone rocket was