“Think about keeping your underwear clean; it’s an easy enough job on a daily basis, thanks to detergent, washing machines and dryers,” explains ESA materials and processes engineer Malgorzata Holynska. “But in habitats on the Moon or beyond, washing spacesuit interiors on a consistent basis may well not be practical.

“In addition, spacesuits will most probably be shared between different astronauts, and stored for long periods between use, potentially in favourable conditions for microorganisms. Instead we needed to find alternative solutions to avoid microbial growth.”