Scientists have developed a plasma device for disinfecting astronauts' clothing
Engineers have developed a prototype of a compact plasma device that can disinfect clothing and other fabric surfaces during space missions. The device, which its creators call a “laundry cannon,” directs cold violet plasma at the fabric and is designed to reduce microbial contamination without the need for conventional cleaning chemicals.
Gabe Xu, a professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and his colleagues worked on the project in collaboration with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, according to Space.com. According to Xu, the technology could help maintain the microbiological cleanliness of clothing and soft surfaces to protect astronauts’ health. It is also being considered for decontaminating spacesuits and instruments before exiting the habitation module on Mars.
The plasma in the device is “cold”—its temperature is close to room temperature. The plasma’s electrons interact with oxygen molecules and water vapor in the air, producing, among other things, ozone and other oxidizing substances. These substances can chemically interact with bacterial membranes, damaging and destroying them.
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The current prototype is about the size of a pen and can treat approximately one square centimeter of fabric at a time. During testing on a fabric sample, it reduced the number of spore colonies by more than 75%. The developers plan to create larger, but still handheld, versions of the device.
The technology does not yet replace regular laundry, as it is not designed to remove stains. Ozone poses a separate challenge, as it can be harmful in large quantities, so the team is working on a system to filter it out. The use of plasma could reduce the amount of supplies needed for crewed missions, as the device generates purifying plasma from the spacecraft’s air and water vapor.
