Story perspectives

NASA-Backed Plasma Laundry Sanitizer Slashes Bacteria, Aims Moon

6/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

Professor Gabe Xu and NASA microbiologist Chelsi Cassilly demonstrated a laundry sanitizer that emits a helium-air-vapor jet producing reactive oxygen species.
Tests on cotton with Staphylococcus caprae cut colonies from 250,000 to roughly 60,000 per milliliter.
The plasma killed bacteria better than International Space Station vacuuming and wipes without fabric damage.
They presented the prototype at the June 2026 Astrobiology Conference and plan handheld units for lunar and Martian habitats.

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Story summary

Professor Gabe Xu and NASA microbiologist Chelsi Cassilly demonstrated a laundry sanitizer that emits a helium-air-vapor jet producing reactive oxygen species.
Tests on cotton with Staphylococcus caprae cut colonies from 250,000 to roughly 60,000 per milliliter.
The plasma killed bacteria better than International Space Station vacuuming and wipes without fabric damage.
They presented the prototype at the June 2026 Astrobiology Conference and plan handheld units for lunar and Martian habitats.