Have you ever slotxowondered how astronauts wash their clothes in space? And the answer that might surprise you is They never wash their clothes.

These astronauts will wear inner and outer clothing. Until I can't stand the dirty and bad smell anymore. Then they will throw away those dirty clothes.

But the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wants to change that. Either at the International Space Station (ISS), on the moon or on Mars. This means ending the mass dumping of dirty clothes every year, but now astronauts still have to combine their dirty clothes with other trash. to incinerate in the atmosphere

NASA, together with US company Procter & Gamble (P&G), are studying the best way to clean astronauts' clothing. This will allow them to use their clothes for months or even years. like on earth

P&G recently announced that it will send trials of Tide detergent and scouring products to the space station later this year and next year. The battle with the sweaty dirty clothes in space is about to begin.

However, this is not a small problem. especially when the United States and other countries Plans to build bases on the Moon and Mars

NASA says storage space on the payload rocket is low and costly. So we shouldn't be wasting that space on astronauts' new clothes if they can keep their old clothes looking new and smelling fresh. As astronauts now need 68 kg of new clothes a year, Mark Sivik, a chemist specializing in fabric and home technology at P&G, says the clothes will take up space in the space. bulk storage Especially on Mars missions that last up to three years, there will also be health and comfort issues.

The astronauts on the space station orbit the Earth need to exercise two hours a day to help their bodies combat the effects of microgravity. This will make their workout clothes sweat, smell, and harden quickly.

Leland Melvin, a former NASA astronaut and NFL athlete, says working out in space has gotten their clothes so dirty that they need to be changed every week. has been searching for a way to extend the wear life by using special antimicrobial clothing But that's not a long-term solution.

In its first experiment this December, P&G will send a detergent specifically made for use in space to the International Space Station. For the scientists to study how the compounds in the detergents reacted to microgravity for six months and in May next year. They will send astronauts a pen and stain-removing cloth to try out.

Meanwhile, P&G is developing a washer-dryer that could work on the moon or even on Mars. using only a small amount of water and detergent. And such machines may also be useful in arid regions on Earth.

However, one of the challenges in the invention of laundry in space is that Space station operators have to reuse the water used for washing for drinking and cooking. Just like astronauts use urine or sweat right now.