NASA Taps Colgate-Palmolive To Brush Up On Personal Care Products For Space Use
By Alexa Heah, 12 Dec 2022
With more astronauts scheduled to head to space over the coming years, NASA has decided to team up with Colgate-Palmolive Company to develop new, innovative self-care products for those living in space.
To achieve this, under the Space Act Agreement (SAA), former astronaut Dr. Cady Coleman will work alongside the firm as an advisor to offer insights into what it is like working in microgravity.
According to Colgate, the ultimate goal is to “reimagine a healthier future for all,” which involves testing new technologies in oral health, skin health, and personal care products.
These products, which will be specially developed for future space travelers, will aim to maintain or improve the health of humans in orbit before, during, or after a long-duration mission.
This means researchers will be able to conduct experiments on board the International Space Station (ISS) to test out their ideas, in hopes of discovering new insights and accelerating innovations that may benefit everyone across the globe.
Furthermore, the partnership will look into how to take sustainability beyond our atmosphere and explore eco-friendly hygiene alternatives for astronauts that could be more useful in space, such as waterless bath tablets or compact packaging.
“We’re thrilled about this relationship with NASA. I’m excited to see how the understanding of the peculiar conditions of space travel can yield impactful insights and solutions for all people to have a healthier future—whether they’re traveling to space or going about their day right here on Earth,” summed up Stephan Habif, Colgate’s Chief Technology Officer.
[via Gizmodo and Colgate-Palmolive, cover image via Colgate-Palmolive]