Cold atmospheric plasma technology for decontamination of space equipment

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) technology is very fast and effective in inactivation of various kinds of microorganisms, like bacteria and endospores. In the field of astronautics, the COSPAR planetary protection policy defines the decontamination requirements of spacecraft components for different space missions [1]. In a first study of using CAP for the decontamination of space equipment we showed its potential as a quite promising alternative to the standard “dry heat” and H₂O₂ methods [2].