Japan's veteran astronaut Koichi Wakata lived on the International Space Station (ISS) on a five-month mission from October 6, 2022 to March 12, 2023, setting the space duration record for an astronaut from Japan. His bags were packed with a supply of 3D Space Shampoo Sheets, a dry type of shampoo developed by Kao Corporation. The same sheet, now available commercially under the brand name Space Shampoo Sheet, can easily wipe impurities from the scalp and hair without water. A light massage of the contoured sheet over the hair removes excess sebum and refreshes the scalp. The sheets can be used indoors or outdoors, whenever a user wants to wipe away perspiration and stickiness without a shower or bath.
Shampooing on the International Space Station (ISS) is an operation rife with challenges. Water is scarce in space, and the splashing of shampoo solutions must be minimized in zero-gravity environments. Special shampoos are also needed due to restrictions placed on the amounts of alcohol allowed aboard space vessels.
When Kao researchers learned of the hair-washing challenges faced in zero gravity, they realized that the cleansing technologies Kao had cultivated over the years could improve the hygiene and QOL of astronauts. Their solution was the "3D Space Shampoo Sheet," a hair-washing sheet that easily wipes impurities from the hair and scalp without water. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) approved the product in 2021 and loaded it on the International Space Station (ISS) during Astronaut Wakata's five-month stay there from October 2022. The Space Shampoo Sheet to be launched commercially in April will be sold through FUNTECH Lab&Biz, Kao's open innovation platform.
Though originally created for zero-gravity use by Astronaut Wakata, the sheets will also solve hair-washing challenges of people on the ground.
"It really cleans me up, even up here without baths or showers. The contoured surface wipes away dirt when I massage, for a deep clean all the way from the roots up. A quick shampoo invigorates my scalp."
Koichi Wakata, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
