Working in space creates the need for more specialized tools than here on Earth.
An astronaut's job is never easy; temperature extremes, gravity (and lack thereof) and unwieldy gloves leave much to be desired. The tools that astronauts use must take into account a wide variety of factors that the average handyman on Earth would never encounter. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has an entire department of engineers dedicated to the specific task of developing tools for use in space.
Hand Drill
The primary tool of the astronaut is a pistol-gripped hand drill built by Swales Aerospace Inc. Originally intended for use on the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993, it was put in use in 1997. Just like a terrestrial drill, this tool uses rechargeable batteries and has the ability to control torque and rotation speed. Covered in a glass and plastic polymer called Lexan, this lightweight, 3-lb. tool is modular, allowing for flexibility in future design and attachments.
Tile Repair
Repairing tile on the various ships in the space shuttle program is much like repairing tile at home in your tub, with one big difference: the temperature. On Earth, the handyman usually does not have to deal with caulk or grout freezing or melting. The material used to repair the shuttle tile must stay within a certain temperature range that the astronaut cannot gauge through her space suit. Engineers developed a tool that senses the temperature of the material, does not affect the temperature of the material itself and gives the astronaut the information.
Trace Gas Analyzer
Astronauts need to be able to locate leaks of a variety of gases and liquids when doing repair work, as well as to determine what those leaking fluids contain. Enter the Trace Gas Analyzer, a mass spectrometer that is able to detect leak location and identify what composes the leak. A mass spectrometer ionizes gas, then determines what the gas is through its charge and weight. Worn on the front of the space suit, the astronaut points the tool toward the area of leak (or suspected leak) and receives timely information needed to maintain or repair the ship.
Tool Storage
After development, design and testing of tools, location and ease of access for the astronaut presents a problem in itself. The mini-workstation tool storage caddy is a tool belt for the astronaut's space suit that attaches the tools to user, preventing the tools from floating away. Screws for the Hubble Space Telescope come covered with fastener capture plates for ease of collection, both for the screws themselves and the thin metal shavings that the screws create when used.
Tags: space suit, Hubble Space, Hubble Space Telescope, mass spectrometer, Space Telescope, temperature material
