Weightless water is tough to handle.
It clings together in shimmering, quivering drops or sticks to surfaces like a second skin, making a bath or shower virtually impossible in space. Shuttle crews take sponge baths, using special shampoo and body wash that do not require rinsing. The space station Mir was originally equipped with a shower stall. Warm water sprayed out of the top, and fans drew the water downward through a drain. To compensate, the Russian space program provides the crew with disposable cotton underwear.