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Wed, Dec 07, 2011

In Space, The Nearest Dry Cleaner Is A LONG Way Away

NASA Commissions Laundry System For ISS

It's a fair bet that it's impossible to carry enough clean underwear for a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station, as space is at a premium. An no one wants to wear the same things day after day with no way to get them clean.

But for now, NASA protocols state that astronauts should wear the same clothes as long as they can, then load up the laundry into an expendable Progress capsule with other trash which incinerates on re-entry.

Well, NASA has commissioned a small business called Umpqua Research to design a microwave-based low-water laundry system for the ISS. Various media outlets including Popular Science Magazine are reporting that the system could be used aboard any long-range space mission, and could also have Earth-bound applications such as remote areas on on board ships.

The system proposed by Umpqua will use a mixture of water vapor, air, and microwaves to clean the clothes, which the company says produces softer results than earlier vacuum pressing systems. Because even, or maybe especially in space, you want to be comfy and clean.

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.urc.cc

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