For missions beyond low Earth orbit, cleaning or disposing of worn and/or soiled crew clothing will be problematic. Solutions of washing or disposing will prove infeasible due to high logistic and resupply costs. Laundry facilities have been considered and developed to mid-technology readiness levels. However, these facilities invariably require considerable water, add complexity to the Environmental Control and Life-support (ECLS) water recovery system due to the presence and challenge of handling soaps, and require considerable design complexity for microgravity operation.
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