Testing of NASA gecko technology to recycle space trash

• Posted by G. V. Nagendra Kumar December 24, 2014 - Filed in Technology - #NASA Gecko Technology  - 2,452 views

  Testing of NASA gecko technology to recycle space trash

   

  The researchers at NASA in microgravity, were tested the technology of gecko in order to find out that whether this technology can be used to get work out space or not. This technology is used to clean up the increasing amount of debris floating around the earth. The technology of gecko is designed as a modified version and originated with Stanfords ‘stickybot’ and modification was done by jet propulsion of NASA laboratory. And this design has also been modified by DARPA to create abilities like real life Spiderman. This gecko name was dubbed by ‘gecko grippers’.

   

  

   

  This technology can seize or tackle the objects in space like spinning or tumbling otherwise would hard to target said by Aaron parness from NASA, principal investigator for the gripper. When earlier testing of prototypes for gripper technology was done, parness was at Stanford. And these tests were carried at in the NASA University. Without losing its adhesive strength, prototypes were put over through 30,000 on and off cycles.

   

  The gripper technology was not an exact replica of a structure feet found on the gecko, but they contain synthetic hair structure called stalks those are similar to the real things. Many tiny hairs are found on the feet of gecko technology, which make them very sticky. The gecko technology has an ability to turn force on or off very easily. The feet of gecko technology composed of branched systems of tiny hair which can make use to attract the molecules known as van der waals, which are forced to stick to a surface with minimum effort.