NASA Mars Habitat latest to use P&G's special space detergent

Five scientists are holed up in Houston in NASA’s 3D-printed Mars habitat this summer, and they’re washing their clothes with a special laundry detergent made by Procter & Gamble.

The CHAPEA (Crew Health And Performance Exploration Analog) mission is expected to last a year. They have one machine that is both a washer and a dryer because capturing and preserving water is critical in space.

In 2019, NASA and P&G signed a research agreement enabling the Cincinnati-based company to expand on what it’s been studying for years: ways to wash clothes by using less water and energy.

P&G Senior Director of Research Mark Sivik describes water as gold on the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts are testing Tide Infinity detergent and stain-removing pens.