Astronauts could get to wash their clothes in space as researchers propose a unique machine

Researchers at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center have designed a compact, detergent-free washing machine. The researchers plan to solve the problem of dirty laundry faced by astronauts in space. Water is a precious resource on space stations as it is costly to launch water to space, so most of the water used by astronauts is recycled water. Astronauts currently wear their clothes until they are dirty and then discard them in cargo ships that burn up upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere.

This washing machine — detailed in the Chinese Journal of Space Science — is a cube-shaped device slightly larger than a suitcase, weighing about 12 kilograms (26 lbs). The machine cleans clothes inside a sealed chamber in 30-minute cycles.

It first sprays an ultra-fine mist on the clothing inside, using only 400 milliliters of water. Then it uses ultraviolet light to produce ozone, which sterilizes the clothing. Finally, it uses heated air to break down the remaining ozone gas while drying the materials at the same time. According to the researchers, the system showed a 99.9% sterilization rate in simulations, making the clothes safe for up to 5 wears.

If this concept comes to fruition, astronauts will be able to wash their clothes in space. This could reduce the total weight of clothing that needs to be launched on space missions by over 60%. The researchers say their next target is to build a working prototype of the machine.