Germany’s RWTH alumnus and astronaut Martin Maurer to test self-cleaning stockings from Upper Hand and ITA in space via SpaceX Dragon. The antiviral technology of the ViruShield research project, funded by EIT Health, prevents viruses and bacteria transmission that cause unpleasant odours. The idea is to show that technology can also solve everyday issues.

The technology eliminates unpleasant bacteria from textiles and has three advantages. No odours can be caused by bacteria, you feel fresh at all times, introduced bacteria and viruses are constantly inactivated, and less than 50 percent of the CO2 emissions of textiles occur during washing, according to an Aachen press release.

The textile materials deactivate 99.9 per cent of odour-causing bacteria by breaking down their membranes through the power of micro-magnetics. The yarns are firmly bonded to an active ingredient called organo-silanes. They generate positive magnetic charge spikes on the fabric surface. These are strong enough to open the fragile membranes of the bacteria. Without the membrane, the bacteria are inactivated and can no longer reproduce. The ingredients are proven to be harmless to humans and the environment (unlike silver and copper, for example).

“Together with the FU Berlin and the ITA, we were able to show the disinfecting effect of our textiles against SARS-CoV-2 last year. On the ISS, we are now devoting ourselves to completely different human problems. There is no washing machine on the ISS. The ISS is a hermetically sealed metal box in space where several people live together. It’s the ultimate testing ground for the new self-cleaning textiles,” RWTH alumnus and co-founder of Upper Hand, David Schmelzeisen said in a statement.