Scientists develop a compact, pen-sized device sometimes described as a “laundry gun” that sterilizes astronauts’ clothes by shooting plasma, according to reports. The system aims to kill microbes on fabric while avoiding the need to wash garments with water.
The Space.com and Times of India accounts both describe the approach as a potential solution for cleaning and sterilization in space, where water and other consumables are limited. Both frame the technology as an alternative to conventional laundry methods, emphasizing that the device can disinfect clothing without requiring water. While the outlets use similar language around the concept and purpose, they differ in how much technical detail they provide in the brief summaries available, with Space.com focusing on the device’s plasma-based mechanism.
Overall, the reporting converges on the same core claim: a portable plasma-emitting apparatus is presented as a way to sterilize astronaut clothing in microgravity and other space constraints.
