Table of Contents

My Body in Space – Bugs In My Glove

Putting It All Together: Building a Better Glove

Canadian astronaut Dr. Dave Williams suited up for EVA work
on the International Space Station.

Objective

To consider some of the challenges posed in the development of gloves designed for EVA work and to consider innovative and novel solutions to the problems encountered by their current design.

The Challenge

Every time an astronaut grasps an object while wearing an EVA glove it is very much like squeezing a tennis ball. To get an idea of the fatigue that this generates, try squeezing a tennis ball continuously for just 30 minutes. Imagine the fatigue created during an astronaut's EVA work schedule, which could be 7 or 8 hours in duration!

Folding the fingers within an EVA glove takes an effort
similar to squeezing a tennis ball.

To add to the forearm/hand fatigue that EVA work generates, imagine the added discomfort as the fingernails become delaminated (breaking away) from the finger.

The challenge is to design a glove that satisfies the following criteria:

1. Strong enough to survive the rigors of working in space.
2. Flexible enough to avoid muscle fatigue from extensive EVA work.
3. Thin enough to provide good tactile sense through the finger-tips.
4. Loose enough to provide good air circulation.

Perhaps what is needed is a new, innovative and novel approach to enclosing an astronaut's hands or maybe a better glove design using exotic synthetic materials that are yet to be invented.

Discuss the results of your investigations from the Bugs In My Glove units. Make a list of the limitations of the current EVA glove design. Keeping in mind the criteria listed above, what design suggestions can you come up with?