March 17, 2009 -- Astronauts aboard the International Space Station may notice something a little strange about their new crewmate Koichi Wakata, a Japanese astronaut who arrives today to begin his new job as a station flight engineer. He doesn't change his clothes too much. That might be a problem in a closed environment like the space station, where you never open a window for fresh air. With three people confined to the same space, it's generally a smart idea to maintain good grooming habits. Wakata, 48, is not advocating slovenliness. He's testing a new line of clothing developed for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency that is literally threaded with anti-bacterial and deodorizing materials. Related Content:
"He can wear his trunks (underwear) more than a week," Koji Yanagawa, director of JAXA's Human Space Technology and Astronaut Department, told Discovery News. The clothes, developed by Yoshiko Taya and colleagues at the Japan Women's University in Tokyo, were tested by JAXA astronauts during two previous shuttle missions and won rave reviews. In addition to odor control, the clothes are designed to absorb water, insulate the body and dry quickly. They also are flame-resistant and anti-static -- as well as comfortable and attractive. Takao Doi, who flew with a shuttle crew last year to deliver Japan's Kibo laboratory to the station, exercised as much as his crewmates, but his clothes stayed dry. "The other astronauts become very sweaty, but he doesn't have any sweat. He didn't need to hang his clothes to dry," Yanagawa said. Because it is expensive to fly cargo to the station and without enough water to wash clothes, astronauts typically discard their garments worn during exercise after three days. One enterprising astronaut used his old underwear to sprout seeds. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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