Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAstronauts aboard the International Space Station do not wash clothes: they reuse garments according to NASA planning intervals, then send them into the station’s trash stream. NASA’s provisioning table lists underwear at two days, cargo pants at 30 days, and 75 kilograms of clothing per crew member for a year. Those are planning figures, not a guarantee of each astronaut’s personal routine or a measured annual total for every crew member.
How do astronauts do laundry in space?
They do not do laundry aboard the ISS. Used garments are not washed; astronauts wear them for planned intervals and replace them with clean clothing delivered on cargo resupply missions. NASA’s Glenn Research Center put it plainly in 2021: “There is no laundry in space… yet.”
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NASA has described student design work on possible space-washing-machine components, but those concepts are not an operational ISS laundry system. NASA Glenn’s account of the design challenge distinguishes proposed designs from the station’s actual routine.
How long are ISS clothes used before replacement?
NASA’s clothing-usage table gives planning intervals for different garment types. They are provisioning guidance rather than a rule that every astronaut follows identically.
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| Garment or measure | NASA planning figure |
|---|---|
| Underwear | 2 days |
| Cargo pants | 30 days |
| Clothing mass for one crew member over one year | 75 kg |
The figures come from NASA technical report CTSD-ADV-1088, whose clothing-usage table lists underwear at a two-day usage rate, cargo pants at 30 days, and a “Total Mass (kg) – 1 Crew” of 75 for one year. The 75 kg is a planned clothing-provisioning mass, not a claim that NASA weighed exactly that much of clean clothing worn by every astronaut. NASA’s CTSD-ADV-1088 report contains the table.
Actual routines can vary by garment and crew practice. NASA’s space-hygiene podcast notes that, for example, exercise clothes may be reused after hanging to dry. NASA’s Space Hygiene episode discusses everyday clothing and hygiene aboard the station.
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What happens to dirty clothes on the station?
Once garments are no longer being reused, they go into the station’s general trash stream rather than a clothes-recycling or washing process. NASA says common trash includes clothing, food packaging, and wipes; the material is separated into wet and dry trash bags, stored temporarily, and loaded onto a departing spent resupply vehicle. NASA’s trash-processing overview describes that handling.
Why the clothes do not come back
The departing cargo spacecraft is used to dispose of its load. NASA explains that the filled cargo vehicle and its contents vaporize in Earth’s atmosphere during reentry; the used clothing is not returned to Earth or recycled aboard the ISS. NASA’s explanation of cargo-vehicle reentry describes the disposal process.
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Why do clothing-mass estimates differ?
The 75 kg figure is a one-crew, one-year provisioning entry in NASA’s clothing-usage table. A separate NASA conference paper published in 2016 discusses 300 kg (662 lb) and 0.73 m³ (26 ft³) of clothing logistics for a four-person crew per year. That is a distinct analysis with its own scenario and assumptions, not the derivation of the 75 kg table figure; the two numbers should not be treated as interchangeable. The 2016 conference paper sets out that logistical estimate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Could future missions wash clothes?
For longer missions farther from resupply, carrying fresh clothing for every use can create a mass and storage burden. Laundry concepts and detergent research therefore address future mission needs, not a change to current ISS operations.
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NASA’s coverage of the PGTIDE investigation describes research into detergent ingredients and formulation stability in microgravity. It also outlines the practical constraints: limited water for each wash, compatibility with spacecraft air-purification systems, and the need to purify wash water back to drinking quality. These demands help explain why a washing system is more than a small appliance in a spacecraft. NASA’s PGTIDE coverage describes the experiment and its engineering challenges.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For the ISS today, the established routine remains planned clothing use, replacement through resupply, and disposal with station trash. Research for lunar or Mars missions does not mean a laundry system is currently operating on the station.
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