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Russia has announced that it is developing a specialized washing machine for astronauts to use in space. The announcement came from a missile, spaceship and space station manufacturer RKK.

Normal washing machines require gravity to function, not to mention significant amounts of water that has to be stored somewhere and increases weight — they are not suitable for space missions (任务). This means that astronauts cannot wash their clothes and either have to pack enough for their whole trip or rely on costly resupply missions and throw used items into space.

Crewmembers taking part in long-term missions on the International Space Station (ISS) often end up wearing the same garments for several continuous days and just change into new ones when they get dirty. Aside from this issue, wearing dirty clothes can be uncomfortable for the astronauts and could also provide perfect conditions for dangerous bacteria to grow and spread.

RKK has previously outlined plans for a space washing machine in a Russian space industry journal paper published in 2017. In the paper, the authors estimated (估计) that 1,450 pounds of clothes are surprisingly transported to the ISS every year to cover the requirements of just three astronauts. And this quantity could increase to three tons for a two-year voyage to Mars involving six crewmembers and could increase the costs and complexity of a mission.

The Russian scientists said that, instead of water, the washing machine would use the carbon dioxide produced by the astronauts’ breathing in the spaceship. Special technology would then turn the gas into a liquid under high pressure in order to clean the clothes.

The Russian designs are not the first proposals for a space washing machine. NASA has previously made a model of a low-power, low-water washing device (设备) which was designed to work in the microgravity of low-Earth orbit or that of the moon or Mars.

1.Normal washing machines are not suitable in the spaceship mainly because __________.

A.they lead to serious space pollution

B.they make some bacteria spread

C.they require gravity to function

D.they increase the weight of the spaceship

2.What might be the biggest advantage of the specialized washing machine?

A.Helping astronauts dry their clothes.

B.Having a competition against NASA.

C.Making the missions cheaper and easier.

D.Getting astronauts to adapt to the environment.

3.Where can astronauts get the liquid for washing clothes in the spaceship?

A.From the water tank in the spaceship. B.From the outer space.

C.From the recycling water in the spaceship. D.From the gas carbon dioxide.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

A.Russia is developing a space washing machine.

B.A space washing machine has been used in Russia.

C.NASA’s made a model of a space washing machine.

D.RKK transports tons of clothes to astronauts in space.

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