In space, no one can complain about your month-old underwear
By Matthew Shaer | 07.30.09
At least one space mystery has now been solved.
What kind of underwear do astronauts take up into the great unknown? Hanes? American Apparel? Perhaps something in a more athletic fit, like Body Armor? Try again. According to astronaut Koichi Wakata, who is returning to earth from months at the International Space Station, he’s been sporting a brand new pair of J-Ware briefs. For the last few weeks. Straight. Without changing.
But don’t worry. These aren’t any ol’ normal kind of underwear. These are high-tech briefs, designed by a team in Japan to be odor-free.
“I haven’t talked about this underwear to my crew members,” Wakata told The Associated Press, reportedly drawing a big laugh from his colleagues. “But I wore them for about a month, and my station crew members never complained for about a month, so I think the experiment went fine.”
Wakata, who is due back on planet Earth on Friday, said the antistatic, flame-retardant underwear made his life in space very comfortable. The J-Wear line is designed by textile experts at the Women’s University in Tokyo, and is said to be made of anti-bacterial, water-absorbent, odor-eliminating material.
“We’ll see the results after landing,” Wakata said.
And remember, there are no showers on the space station.
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2. Stephen Hayes | 07.31.09
RE:In space, no one can complain about your month-old underwear
Yes they can!
3. Thomas | 07.31.09
Koichi, buddy….get some new undies…
I’m glad that you’ve got some high tech briefs there…but a little pre-planning can go a long way..
4. Frank | 07.31.09
The greatest contribution by the space program to life on Earth since the upside down pen?
5. Jack Lindsey | 07.31.09
former Senator Jack Schmidt, New Mexico (who is also former astronaut Jack schmidt) in a private visit with him told me that on his speaking tours around the cuntry after his flights that the number one question asked was “How do you go to the bathroom?” That was years before the Women’s Unversity in Tokyo developed a new plan. The Senator never told the secret.
6. Joe Rice | 08.01.09
I WAS HOPING BEFORE READING THE ARTICLE THEY WOULDN’T HAVE TO WEAR ANY UNDRWEAR. FREEEEEEEEEDOM.
JOE RICE 4-01-09
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1. Natalie | 07.31.09
Sounds like something that would be PERFECT for long camping/hiking trips or outdoor excursions! I wonder if its available for sale to the public, probably would be pricey but there’s definitely a market for it!