Astronaut Tests Stink-Free Space Pantsu

haruka-space-toilet-commando.jpg

Wakata Koichi, the first Japanese astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station, has been given a vital (though somewhat unusual) assignment: testing of new odor-free briefs.

The new underwear, called J-ware, are designed to kill bacteria, absorb water, insulate the body and dry quickly.  The briefs also resist fire and static, which are important qualities in an enclosed space station.

Most importantly however, the new underwear can be worn up to a week. In initial testing, J-ware remained dry and stink-free even after a vigorous workout.

The new underwear could be huge boon for the International Space Station, say Japanese officials.

By adopting J-ware, the astronauts living aboard the station could vastly cut storage costs and clothing shipments without endangering themselves to health risks caused by bad hygiene. The space station has no laundry facilities.

Japanese officials plan to make the clothes available to NASA and its other space station partners once development is complete.

They also plan to introduce a commercial line, which will make stink-free clothing available for civilians (and doubtless to the general military).

Via DailyTech.


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    Avatar of Icy-nee-san
    Comment by Icy-nee-san
    22:49 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Aww but removing the stink from pantsu almost makes stealing used pantsu not for it D:

    Comment by Ichigo69
    23:19 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I'll never cease to be amazed at where you guys get these pictures. Where the hell do they come from?

    in B4 'the internet'

    Avatar of Kip
    Comment by Kip
    21:51 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I can understand the 'Japan' tag on this post, but I propose we use the 'interstellar' tag as well.

    Avatar of xSASxZaros
    Comment by xSASxZaros
    Comment by Anonymous
    21:36 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    im amazed. just how do you guys always happen to find the perfect picture to go with the story... *salute*

    Comment by N.R.
    21:48 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Actually I would have chosen the diaper suit from Planetes over this.

    Avatar of jinstevens
    Comment by jinstevens
    00:54 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Artefact picked this one. And always, he has superior taste when choosing pictures.

    Comment by N.R.
    21:46 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I actually saw this on TV in the news. The idea is very clever. However I doubt the military will use them since soldiers don't get wet only from sweat. They usually get wet and stinky from crawling in mud and oiling their weapons too. Take it from someone who knows.

    Comment by Anonymous
    01:03 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    hmm resist fire eh?

    Avatar of Doriinatrix
    Comment by Doriinatrix
    11:59 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Very interesting, I think I shall conduct some research! Science has done it again!

    Comment by Anonymous
    09:31 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    NASA 1-Week Underwear Test:

    1. Check for Skid Marks. With magnifying glass.
    2. DEEEEP sniff test. Mandatory for EVERY crewman.
    3. Throw it against a wall. Hard.

    I wonder if that astronaut ever figured he'd be sent on a mission to soil his underwear....

    Comment by Touwaku
    12:10 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    ROFL. The pic for the post is epic. Mobile suit toilet. Whoever chooses the pics for Sankaku posts is a true guru.

    Hate to see what that suit uses as ammo for its weapons.

    Avatar of Kip
    Comment by Kip
    14:18 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Ha! I didn't even notice until you mentioned it!

    Comment by Yuffie
    05:45 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I just saw ManSwers other day talking about silver(yes metal) underwear, (mirco thrived or w/e..
    But its last for up to 3-6 months oder free.

    I think Japans alittle behind. >_>
    Silver fights bactirea and other things....

    Avatar of Gatsby
    Comment by maga
    06:35 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    First a pen and now this? What will they think of next...

    Comment by a nony mouse
    21:15 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Just for geekiness: Anything that can carry "downmass" away from the station is pressed into service to do just that, including passenger craft such as the Shuttle.

    But the primary garbage removal is provided by the Progress cargo ships. As the cargo is unloaded at the station it is replaced with the station's accumulated garbage. When the Progress is deorbited the garbage burns up with it, with the remnants falling into the Indian Ocean.

    As for laundry... they just got basic water recycling going so doing laundry is a next-generation technology :)

    Avatar of guss4avo
    Comment by guss4avo
    16:25 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    this are the dvd of the underwear world!

    regular cd --> ~700MB
    regular dvd -> ~(700*7)MB

    regular underwear --> 1 day
    space underwear ----> (1*7)days

    you could always wear it "double side" for ~14 days tought XD

    Comment by Anonymous
    21:28 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    so the 14 days underwear would be similar to a dual layer DVD? great analogy :D

    Avatar of Chris
    Comment by Chris
    17:35 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Can't unsee this analogy...

    Avatar of takuya13
    Comment by takuya
    16:57 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    so if theres no laundry do they just throw out their dirty clothes into space.. or do they seal em and bring it back down to earth...

    Comment by Anonymous
    17:17 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    There's rather more than enough debris in space already - a fact which the crew on the ISS know all too well. I should think they're not going to be adding to it needlessly.

    Comment by Anonymous
    06:56 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    They seal it in a progress spacecraft and then send it to burn up in earths atmosphere.

    Comment by Anonymous
    17:00 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Changing underwear is so 21st century!

    Avatar of xSASxZaros
    Comment by xSASxZaros
    16:25 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    DO WANT.:o

    I am SO buying some if I can. XD

    Also, "J-Ware" - Hehehe.

    ---

    "The space station has no laundry facilities."

    Could it really be that hard to just send up a few thousand gallons of water and a washing machine? Instead of sending clothes all the time? ._.

    Really though, good job Japan. :D

    Avatar of jinstevens
    Comment by jinstevens
    16:29 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Water in zero gravity causes considerable issues. I believe washing clothes would present numerous problems.

    Avatar of xSASxZaros
    Comment by xSASxZaros
    21:22 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Isn't it possible on space stations to make rooms where it does not have zero gravity? So it's just like on Earth?

    Comment by Anonymous
    22:43 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    It's technologically possible. But it'd be so expensive that we can't even begin to imagine it.

    Avatar of Shuu
    Comment by Shuu
    23:19 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    It would be possible (by having a ring huge enough to house some rooms spinning around it's own axis, like seen in many SF-movies and games), but quite expensive and a bit over the top for that sorry excuse of a space station.

    Comment by Anonymous
    21:35 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Too many sf movies, i believe.

    Comment by Bakayarou
    08:53 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    It is possible to simulate gravity through the inertia of a rotating ring, but the gravity would still be very low compared to on the planets surface... In addition, sending large amounts of water into orbit is hard due to the weight of the water, much cheaper to send the clothing.

    Comment by mi
    16:20 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    why is it called j ware?

    Avatar of Muzaffar
    Comment by Muzaffar
    01:57 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Well its Japan of course.
    But yeah, J-Ware? Sounds like some sort of computer software if you ask me. They could just come up with a better name than that....

    Comment by Teabag
    16:30 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    For otaku use.

    Comment by rabbit
    15:39 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    syeikh mustaffa

    Avatar of Muzaffar
    Comment by Muzaffar
    Comment by Carrie
    15:35 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    That's actually rather interesting. I'm curious how they're designed that makes them able to do that. I guess I'll have to go do some researching on space underwear. (...that sounds ridiculous.)

    Avatar of ichimokuren
    Comment by Ren ichimoku
    15:49 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    anti pantsu armor... bwahaha...

    Comment by Riiku
    16:08 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Instead of laughing, just think how tough it is to live in fucking space.

    Comment by Clad
    16:01 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Because it's not pantsu !!

    Avatar of infidel
    Comment by jj
    Avatar of lerrymaru
    Comment by maru
    20:06 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Wait, static? *shock*

    Comment by Drakanor
    20:19 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    technically speaking, the british did this first, though the addition of anti-static and flame retardant are certainly an obvious necessity in a space station.

    News source:
    http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-08-19-british-underwear_x.htm

    buy your own pair from these guys: http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2008/09/15/pooghe-laundry-sexy-underwear-with-a-silver-secret/

    Avatar of Ichiro Ino
    Comment by イチロ イノ Ichiro Ino
    20:19 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    there should be a space onanism toy for those who are lonely in space... it's also part of the hygiene, right?

    Comment by anon
    20:22 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    That's no space toilet, that's a Snakeeye! Or possibly an SAFS, I always get the two mixed up.

    Comment by Anonymous
    19:49 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    The thought of Haruka smiling with week old pantsu is now stuck in my mind. Can't unsee.

    Avatar of lerrymaru
    Comment by maru
    Comment by sankyuu
    19:41 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I'm assuming you don't poop in them, right?
    Zero gravity apparently causes really bad digestion problems...

    Comment by broken…
    17:59 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I can sort of understand why it's static resistant... but, fire resistance too?

    Avatar of Vegio
    Comment by Vegio
    20:42 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    i was going to reply the same.
    i mean, do they ignite their farts and use those new briefs to avoid fire-pushback ?

    Comment by Anonymous
    09:20 27/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    i remember watching a video where a station caught on fire D=

    Avatar of basilio
    Comment by basilio
    18:35 26/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Hey, you'll never know. Maybe it's quite frequent that they get torched in their lower regions in the space station. Just don't come crying with a scorched penis.




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