Washing hair in area is a singular problem as a result of lack of gravity. On Earth, we depend on working water to rinse out shampoo, however within the microgravity surroundings of the Worldwide Area Station (ISS), water behaves in a different way.
In a video, NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg supplied a step-by-step demonstration of how astronauts wash their hair whereas floating in zero gravity.
Step 1: Collect necessities
To clean her hair in area, Nyberg makes use of a bag of heat water, no-rinse shampoo, a towel, and a comb. She explains, “These are the issues I would like: a bag of heat water, a bit no-rinse shampoo, a towel, and my comb.”
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Step 2: Wetting the hair
Since water doesn’t movement like on Earth, Nyberg has to squirt heat water instantly onto her scalp. She describes, “What I love to do is begin by simply placing some sizzling water, squirting it onto my scalp. I’ve a mirror there so I can form of watch what I’m doing. Typically the water will get away from you, and also you try to catch as a lot as you may. Then, I simply work the water up via to the ends of my hair.”
Step 3: Making use of no-rinse shampoo
Astronauts use a particular no-rinse shampoo, which doesn’t require full rinsing. Nyberg explains, “Subsequent, I take my no-rinse shampoo and squirt it onto my scalp—just a bit bit—and rub it in, once more working it out to the ends. Typically, I’ll truly take my comb to assist work all of it the way in which to the tip.”
Step 4: Cleansing with a towel
With out working water, astronauts depend on towels to assist take away filth and extra shampoo. She says, “I wish to take my towel whereas I’ve the shampoo in there and simply form of work it as a result of, with out standing underneath working water, you’ll want to use the towel a bit bit to assist get a number of the filth out.”
Step 5: Closing rinse with water
Though the shampoo is no-rinse, Nyberg finds that including a bit additional water helps with the cleansing course of. “I wish to observe that by a bit extra water. It’s referred to as no-rinse shampoo, however I feel it’s finest for those who use a bit water with it.”
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Step 6: Drying and water recycling
As soon as the hair is clear, it dries naturally within the weightless surroundings. The evaporating water is captured by the ISS’s air con system and ultimately recycled into consuming water. “Now, as my hair dries, the water evaporates and turns into humidity within the air. Then, our air con system will gather that into condensate, and earlier than lengthy, our water processing system will flip that into consuming water.”
Step 7: Closing touches
After washing, Nyberg fastidiously combs via her hair to take away tangles and lets it dry freely. She notes, “On the finish, I simply do one last comb-through to verify there aren’t any snarls and snags. Whereas it dries, I wish to let it keep free—I don’t put it again in a ponytail whereas it’s drying.”
Washing hair in area requires endurance and adaptation, however astronauts have developed environment friendly strategies to take care of hygiene whereas orbiting Earth. Nyberg’s demonstration presents fascinating perception into day by day life aboard the ISS, the place even easy duties like hair-washing require inventive options.
