NASA and Tide signed contract for doing laundry in Space

shaking hands

Decades later, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) will have laundry detergent. The unique solution will be created by Tide and NASA employees.

Despite the fact that people spend months on the space station, scientists have not come up with an effective technology of washing. 

Astronauts wear the same set of clothes several times and then pack it in a special container to send to Earth and wait for a new batch. Obviously, it's extremely inconvenient. But soon the inhabitants of the ISS will be able to wash dirty clothes with Tide powder.

As it became known, NASA has signed a contract with Tide to supply a new type of detergent to clean up space pollution. It has increased requirements: use in closed systems, elimination of harmful additives, and spent liquid should be suitable for return to drinking water. 

It is important that the detergent at the same time eliminates traces of stains and bad smell.

The first batch of powder will be sent to the ISS as part of a cargo flight in 2022. Initially, the detergent will be experimental, and the results will allow to carry out laundry on the space station with a minimum amount of liquid so precious outside the Earth.