After NASA’s Mars Rover Perseverance touched down on the red planet in February 2021, NASA’s future dreams of extended space travel to Mars became a closer reality.
This monumental event reminded us of the NASA 2015 study “Will Astronauts Wash Clothes on the Way to Mars?”. Within the study, tests were performed utilizing ZONO Technologies’ Ozone Disinfecting and Sanitizing Cabinet to see if our technology could be a solution to finding a space laundry system that would keep crews clothed without the burden and myriad of laundry supplies. It was paramount for the study to determine whether the resources required for the space laundry system would win out over the reliable practice of just bringing along enough spare space underwear. ZONO Technologies was excited to be part of NASA’s Logistics Reduction Project study comparing the impact of current space clothing systems, traditional water-based clothes washing, and other sanitizing techniques on the useful life of space clothing.