The reader shouldn't miss a main point: the precision to which astronaut duties are carried out is exhibited as ingrained into the fabric of how that person operates.
The diaper would have been standard protocol for a long mission seated. In this case, it was while driving in a car to confront someone 900 miles away. She meticulously planned her own mission.
They handle stressful situations systematically. In this case, the guy handles multiple affairs while lying and operates with his own emergency checklist.
The article doubles as a report of "look how much money has been spent at NASA this is all we've done."