Micro-G tool performs very well during testing at NASA Neutral Buoyancy Lab

(Houston, TX) Recently four members of the ISS Micro-G team traveled to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston to participate in the testing of the tool they created for the NASA Micro-G NeXT competition. The Micro-G NeXT challenge this year was to create a belt-mounted lunar sample bag dispenser given a multitude of requirements/constraints. The ISS Micro-G tool, ELSA, consists of a rack of sealable teflon bags (which can be completely opened/removed using one hand), all of which are encased in a protective acrylic shell.

The four Micro-G members in front of the Neutral Buoyancy Lab ready to test ELSA.

The trip to Houston was extremely rewarding, both before testing and after. Before ELSA got her feet wet, the team got to spend time touring the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Lab and talking to staff and other Micro-G teams. The facility was awesome, and the staff and participants they spoke to were all as enthusiastic about the project as they were. Testing, albeit stressful, was definitely the highlight of the trip. ELSA passed each trial with flying colors (short of one small issue regarding the buoyancy of her bags). 

The trip also ended on an extremely high note, as the ISS Micro-G team was approached by the Micro-G staff asking if they could hang onto ELSA for a new Artemis exhibit at JSC! The trip was an absolute blast, and the team loved finally seeing their hard work truly pay off. Congratulations ISS Micro-G team!

More details can be found on the UIUC Grainger College of Aerospace Engineering website here.

After the Micro-G NeXT competition had ended, ELSA was used by the Micro-G NeXT team at NASA in their SUITS Integration EVA Demonstration at the rock yard.

The ISS Micro-G team.

ELSA!