What can you do if you get your period in space? Scientists are making that question a little easier to answer by testing how well a menstrual cup, a popular reusable period product, holds up against the pressures of space flight.
In 2022, a research group called AstroCup placed two menstrual cups on an uncrewed rocket flight that lasted about 9 minutes after launch and hit an altitude of 1.9 miles (3 kilometers). This put the menstrual cups, made by the brand Lunette, at risk of vibration and other stressors that could damage their structure or affect how well they hold liquid. But leak tests using glycerol and water found that the menstrual cups held up with no damage, and that the material didn't degrade. The results of the study were published recently in NPJ Women's Health.
