NASA tests Florida Poly student-designed tool to improve spacewalks
When astronauts venture outside the International Space Station to perform critical maintenance, it is essential for them to access and store their tools quickly and conveniently. Every tool must remain securely attached to their spacesuit while still being readily available when needed. A team of Florida Polytechnic University mechanical engineering students spent 10 months developing a one-handed wearable tool dock designed to make that process easier, faster and more efficient. NASA put the team’s tool to the test at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Promising spacewalk solution engineered by Florida Poly students
Performing maintenance outside the International Space Station is a complex and risky task that requires astronauts to wear bulky space suits and conduct spacewalks to repair vital components like the station’s protective multi-layer insulation.
