NASA Micro-g NExT 2019: The S.U.I.T. Lab Specialized Tool for Astronaut Recording
Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Authors' Class Standing
Nick Lopac, Junior Chase Covello, Junior Ben Banner, Senior Cody Rivas, Senior Angelica Radulovic, Junior Isaac Mendieta, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Nicholas Lopac
Faculty Mentor Name
Ryan L. Kobrick
Abstract
The Johnson Space Center (JSC) has hosted the NASA Micro-g NExT Challenge for five consecutive years with the goal of challenging “undergraduate students to design, build, and test a tool or device that addresses an authentic, current space exploration challenge”. One such challenge is the current inability to capture close up and specialized third person perspectives of astronauts working outside the International Space Station (ISS) while performing an Extravehicular Activity (EVA). NASA has outlined this issue as part of the Micro-g NExT 2019 challenge to find designs and solutions for an EVA Camera Attachment Mechanism. The challenge requires that the Attachment Mechanism be able to attach to at least two of three components on the International Space Station. A team of students from the ERAU S.U.I.T. Lab has been accepted as one of 24 student teams nationwide to participate in this challenge. The team will travel to NASA JSC for the week of May 23rd 2019 to test their design dubbed the Specialized Tool for Astronaut Recording (STAR), in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). The team agreed on a design that could attach to all three components with one mechanism and make it small enough for astronauts to be able to transport it easily on their person. The STAR was decided to be built with a 3D printer so that many prototypes could be created for testing. The first design accomplished the task but would be difficult to create with the printer. Therefore, a second prototype was made to compensate for the printer and save on cost of building. A prototype and test rig was built to test the design and check for any weaknesses. After the first underwater test the prototype showed that the design required minor revisions but overall was quite durable. The STAR, designed to be safe, simple and effective, can provide NASA operators with detailed third person recordings of astronaut EVA’s while fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the astronaut’s equipment.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
Yes, Spark Grant
NASA Micro-g NExT 2019: The S.U.I.T. Lab Specialized Tool for Astronaut Recording
The Johnson Space Center (JSC) has hosted the NASA Micro-g NExT Challenge for five consecutive years with the goal of challenging “undergraduate students to design, build, and test a tool or device that addresses an authentic, current space exploration challenge”. One such challenge is the current inability to capture close up and specialized third person perspectives of astronauts working outside the International Space Station (ISS) while performing an Extravehicular Activity (EVA). NASA has outlined this issue as part of the Micro-g NExT 2019 challenge to find designs and solutions for an EVA Camera Attachment Mechanism. The challenge requires that the Attachment Mechanism be able to attach to at least two of three components on the International Space Station. A team of students from the ERAU S.U.I.T. Lab has been accepted as one of 24 student teams nationwide to participate in this challenge. The team will travel to NASA JSC for the week of May 23rd 2019 to test their design dubbed the Specialized Tool for Astronaut Recording (STAR), in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). The team agreed on a design that could attach to all three components with one mechanism and make it small enough for astronauts to be able to transport it easily on their person. The STAR was decided to be built with a 3D printer so that many prototypes could be created for testing. The first design accomplished the task but would be difficult to create with the printer. Therefore, a second prototype was made to compensate for the printer and save on cost of building. A prototype and test rig was built to test the design and check for any weaknesses. After the first underwater test the prototype showed that the design required minor revisions but overall was quite durable. The STAR, designed to be safe, simple and effective, can provide NASA operators with detailed third person recordings of astronaut EVA’s while fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the astronaut’s equipment.