Topics: International Space Station, NASA, Reddit, Space, Weird, Environment
Life in space is a challenge that only the best trained can undertake, but the internet has been losing its mind since it was revealed just how astronauts deal with their clothing hygiene.
How many suitcases would you pack for a trip around the orbit? I’d personally pack my entire wardrobe and then buy another to have spare.
But while this ensures that you’ve got as many outfits as possible for your time in space, what do you do with your clothing once it’s been worn?
Now, at home, we all have the luxury of using the laundry machines to ensure that our clothes are always clean and smelling great, but over on the International Space Station (ISS), things are different.
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When it comes to laundry up in space, things can become complicated, and that’s the burning question that has been solved.
If you thought they had some water, detergent and a bucket to manually scrub their clothing, or even a tiny portable machine, think again.
They actually don’t do laundry at all.
In fact, they have a pretty weird way of dealing with soiled clothing items.
Because of how much water they would need to use to keep them clean, they instead wear them until they become too soiled to stomach, and then throw them out of the ISS and into the atmosphere where they will burn up upon their re-entry into Earth.
While that sounds gross, the ISS is carefully temperature controlled so astronauts aren’t sweating a lot, and it is a somewhat sterile environment which sees little mess come on board to ruin garments.
According to Humans in Space, some brands have collaborated with NASA to provide specialized clothing to help them to stay cleaner for longer.
For instance, BEAMS Co., Ltd. produced clothes for ‘astronaut NOGUCHI Soichi to wear during his extended stay on the ISS, which began in November 2020’.
The website claimed: “These clothes have functional features required for an extended stay in space, such as absorbency, quick drying, antibacterial and deodorizing properties.”
But astronauts still have to bring one polo shirt per 15 days and one pair of underwear for 3 days as to not bring too many on board.
To tackle their laundry load, some clothes are put in cargo spacecrafts, which burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, while more expensive items like spacesuits are sent to Earth for cleaning and repairs.
For Redditors, this information below their minds.
One person wrote: “I was wondering how they didn't get UTIs and boils and whatnot this way. Makes sense that they have a special antibacterial requirement for their clothes.”
Another said: “When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut so badly, but the more I learn about the lives of them, the more I'm glad I didn't pursue that career. Well that, and I'm pretty stupid.”
Someone else commented: “Alright, but how many outfits do they bring? I mean, can you identify an astronaut who's been in space for too long by whether or not they're naked?”
However, NASA is looking to improve their process and teamed up with Tide in 2022 to figure out how they can clean astronaut’s clothing on board with little water.
This is where Tide developed a ‘fully degradable detergent, specifically designed for use in space’, which may help improve stain removal problems and keep their things clean.
