STS-64, Astronaut Marc Lee tests the (SAFER) Simplified Aid for Eva Rescue system 130 nautical miles above earth.

S93-50137 (December 1993) --- This small mobility-aiding back harness, complemented in extravehicular activity (EVA) with a hand controller unit and called the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system, will get extensive in-space evaluation and testing during the STS-64 mission. In this view the SAFER is open to reveal the gas supply and thrusters. SAFER is to fly on STS-76 as well.

STS064-16-031 (19-20 Sept. 1994) --- On the space shuttle Discovery's middeck, astronaut Carl J. Meade checks a hose associated with the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system prior to a Extravehicular Activity (EVA) that tested SAFER. On the Sept. 16, 1994 EVA, astronauts Meade and Mark C. Lee took turns using the SAFER hardware. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

STS064-60-012 (16 Sept. 1994) --- Backdropped against the blackness of space and Earth's horizon 130 nautical miles below, astronaut Mark C. Lee (right) floats freely as he continues to test the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system while converging with astronaut Carl J. Meade. Meade's feet are anchored to the space shuttle Discovery's remote manipulator system arm. The image was exposed with a 35mm camera from the shirt-sleeve environment of the space shuttle. Astronauts Lee and took turns using the SAFER hardware during their shared Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on Sept. 16, 1994. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs. Photo credit: NASA

STS064-45-012 (16 Sept. 1994) --- Backdropped against a massive wall of white clouds 130 nautical miles below, astronaut Mark C. Lee floats freely as he tests the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. The image was exposed with a 35mm camera from the shirt-sleeve environment of the space shuttle Discovery. Astronauts Lee and Carl J. Meade took turns using the SAFER hardware during their shared Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on Sept. 16, 1994. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs. Photo credit: NASA

Astronaut Mark Lee floats freely as he tests the new backpack called the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. SAFER is designed for use in the event a crew member becomes untethered while conducting an EVA. The STS-64 mission marked the first untethered U.S. EVA in 10 years, and was launched on September 9, 1994, aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery.

S94-33357 (1994) --- Scott Bleiseth, top, prepares to spin Mike Hess, a fellow EVA engineer, during a test on the air-bearing floor in the Shuttle Mock-up and Integration Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The hardware being tested is part of the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER). The pair was developing techniques by which the non-SAFER equipped spacewalker will impart a rotation to the SAFER-using spacewalker during the STS-64 mission. Once the SAFER astronaut is spinning, the device will be activated and its automatic attitude hold capability will be tested. SAFER is to fly on STS-76 as well. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

STS064-217-008 (16 Sept. 1994) --- Backdropped against the blue and white Earth, 130 nautical miles below, astronaut Mark C. Lee tests the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. The scene was captured with a 70mm handheld Hasselblad camera with a 30mm lens attached. Astronauts Lee and Carl J. Meade took turns using the SAFER hardware during their shared Extravehicular Activity (EVA) of Sept. 16, 1994. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Commercial Crew Program astronaut and Boeing Crew Flight Test crew member Nicole Mann in SAFER Skills training in VR Lab.

Commercial Crew Program astronaut and Boeing Crew Flight Test crew member Nicole Mann in SAFER Skills training in VR Lab.

Commercial Crew Program astronaut and Boeing Crew Flight Test crew member Nicole Mann in SAFER Skills training in VR Lab.

ISS012-E-06030 (21 October 2005) --- Astronaut William S. McArthur Jr., Expedition 12 commander and NASA science officer, holds a Hand Control Module (HCM) while looking at laptop computer graphics during a Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) training session in the Unity node of the international space station.

ISS012-E-06035 (21 October 2005) --- Astronaut William S. McArthur Jr., Expedition 12 commander and NASA science officer, holds a Hand Control Module (HCM) while looking at laptop computer graphics during a Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) training session in the Unity node of the international space station.

Expedition 29/30 astronaut Dan Burbank during SAFER Proficiency Training in the VR Lab. Photo Date: June 17, 2011. Location: Building 9 - Virtual Reality Lab. Photographer: Robert Markowitz

Expedition 29/30 astronaut Dan Burbank during SAFER Proficiency Training in the VR Lab. Photo Date: June 17, 2011. Location: Building 9 - Virtual Reality Lab. Photographer: Robert Markowitz

Expedition 29/30 astronaut Dan Burbank during SAFER Proficiency Training in the VR Lab. Photo Date: June 17, 2011. Location: Building 9 - Virtual Reality Lab. Photographer: Robert Markowitz

Expedition 29/30 astronaut Dan Burbank during SAFER Proficiency Training in the VR Lab. Photo Date: June 17, 2011. Location: Building 9 - Virtual Reality Lab. Photographer: Robert Markowitz

ISS012-E-06025 (21 October 2005) --- Cosmonaut Valery I. Tokarev, Expedition 12 flight engineer representing Russia's Federal Space Agency, holds a Hand Control Module (HCM) while looking at laptop computer graphics during a Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) training session in the Unity node of the international space station.

iss058e011232 (Feb. 8, 2019) --- Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques works inside the Unity module performing preventative maintenance on the Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER) unit that attaches to U.S. spacesuits. The SAFER would be used to maneuver an astronaut back to the International Space Station in the unlikely event they became untethered during a spacewalk.

STS064-45-014 (16 Sept. 1994) --- Backdropped against a massive wall of white clouds 130 nautical miles below, astronaut Mark C. Lee floats freely as he tests the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. The image was exposed with a 35mm camera from the shirt-sleeve environment of the space shuttle Discovery. Astronauts Lee and Carl J. Meade took turns using the SAFER hardware during their shared Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on Sept. 16, 1994. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

This artist's concept depicts astronauts and human habitats on Mars. NASA's Mars 2020 rover will carry a number of technologies that could make Mars safer and easier to explore for humans. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23302

Expedition 36/37 crew members Luca Parmitano and Karen Nyberg during SAFER training in the VR Lab

Expedition 36/37 crew members Luca Parmitano and Karen Nyberg during SAFER training in the VR Lab

ISS040-E-088794 (5 Aug. 2014) --- In the Unity node of the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Expedition 40 flight engineer, uses a laptop computer 3D virtual spacewalk trainer in preparation for two upcoming U.S. sessions of extravehicular activity (EVA).

STS064-23-037 (16 Sept. 1994) --- Astronauts Mark C. Lee (left) and Carl J. Meade were photographed in the midst of 15-minute pre-breathe exercise in preparation for their Extravehicular Activity (EVA) of Sept. 16, 1994. On that day the two performed an in-space rehearsal or demonstration of a contingency rescue using the never-before flown Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system some 130 nautical miles above Earth. During the EVA the two STS-64 mission specialists took turns using the SAFER hardware. The test was the first phase of a larger SAFER program leading finally to the development of a production version for future shuttle and space station applications. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Date: 03-06-13 Location: Bldg 9, VR Lab Subject: Expedition 38/39 JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata during SAFER training in the VR Lab. Trainer - Megan Murphey

The newest space shuttle orbiter, Endeavour is ready to roll out of the hangar at Palmdale, Calif. OV-105 features many design enhancements, including a drag chute for safer landings and equipment to allow the orbiter to remain in space for up to 28 days. Photo credit: NASA

The newest space shuttle orbiter, Endeavour is ready to roll out of the hangar at Palmdale, Calif. OV-105 features many design enhancements, including a drag chute for safer landings and equipment to allow the orbiter to remain in space for up to 28 days. Photo credit: NASA

The newest space shuttle orbiter, Endeavour, is ready to roll out of the hangar at Palmdale, Calif. OV-105 features many design enhancements, including a drag chute for safer landings and equipment to allow the orbiter to remain in space for up to 28 days. Photo credit: NASA

The newest space shuttle orbiter, Endeavour is ready to roll out of the hangar at Palmdale, Calif. OV-105 features many design enhancements, including a drag chute for safer landings and equipment to allow the orbiter to remain in space for up to 28 days.Photo credit: NASA

An Alta X drone is positioned at altitude for an air launch of the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy test experiment on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

The parachute of the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy test experiment deploys following an air launch from an Alta X drone on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

The Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy test experiment lands following an air launch from an Alta X drone on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

An Alta X drone air launches the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy test experiment on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

The newest space shuttle orbiter, Endeavour, rolls out of the hangar at Palmdale, Calif. OV-105 features many design enhancements, including a drag chute for safer landings and equipment to allow the orbiter to remain in space for up to 28 days. Photo credit: NASA

iss060e043690 (8/22/2019) --- (Aug. 22, 2019) ---European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano conducts science operations in the Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the International Space Station (ISS). He is working on the Goodyear Tire experiment that is exploring ways to manufacture safer, more fuel-efficient tires on Earth.

iss060e043685 (Aug. 22, 2019) --- Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency) conducts science operations in the Life Sciences Glovebox. He is working on the Goodyear Tire experiment that is exploring ways to manufacture safer, more fuel-efficient tires on Earth.

The newest space shuttle orbiter, Endeavour is ready to roll out of the hangar at Palmdale, Calif. OV-105 features many design enhancements, including drag chute for safer landings and equipment to allow the orbiter to remain in space for up to 28 days. Photo credit: NASA

iss066e156067 (March 2, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expediiton 66 Flight Engineer Raja Chari wears virtual reality goggles to practice spacewalk rescue scenarios that would be used while maneuvering using the U.S. spacesuit's SAFER jet pack, also known as Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue.

iss056e078401 (July 3, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor conducts research operations for the AngieX Cancer Therapy study inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox. The new cancer research seeks to test a safer, more effective treatment that targets tumor cells and blood vessels.

iss056e078402 (July 3, 2018) --- Flight Engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor conducts research operations for the AngieX Cancer Therapy study inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox. The new cancer research seeks to test a safer, more effective treatment that targets tumor cells and blood vessels.

iss056e009783 (June 11, 2018) --- Expedition 56 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA) is seated in the Columbus laboratory module participating in the Grip study. Grip is an ESA-sponsored experiment that is researching how the nervous system adapts to microgravity. Observations may improve the design of safer space habitats and help patients on Earth with neurological diseases.

iss072e422431 (Dec. 27, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams wears a virtual reality headset and practices emergency maneuvers a spacewalker would use in the unlikely event they became untethered from the International Space Station. During spacewalks astronauts wear U.S. spacesuits with a jetpack installed called a SAFER, or Simplified Aid for EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) Rescue, that contains a controller and thrusters used to guide a crew member back to the safety of the orbital outpost.

iss072e422426 (Dec. 27, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams wears a virtual reality headset and practices emergency maneuvers a spacewalker would use in the unlikely event they became untethered from the International Space Station. During spacewalks astronauts wear U.S. spacesuits with a jetpack installed called a SAFER, or Simplified Aid for EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) Rescue, that contains a controller and thrusters used to guide a crew member back to the safety of the orbital outpost.

iss056e009784 (June 11, 2018) --- Expedition 56 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA) is seated in the Columbus laboratory module participating in the Grip study. Grip is an ESA-sponsored experiment that is researching how the nervous system adapts to microgravity. Observations may improve the design of safer space habitats and help patients on Earth with neurological diseases.

Derek Abramson, left, and Justin Link, right, attach an Alta X drone to the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy test experiment on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Abramson is NASA chief engineer at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory, where Link also works as a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

The Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy project team examines a capsule and parachute following an air launch from an Alta X drone on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

NASA researchers Paul Bean, center, and Mark Hagiwara, right, attach the capsule with parachute system to the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy test experiment on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering science instruments and payloads to Mars.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

iss073e0030301 (May 13, 2025) --- JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut and Expedition 73 Commander Takuya Onishi swaps research hardware inside the Kibo laboratory module's solid combustion experiment module. Combustion research aboard the International Space Station helps researchers understand how fuels burn in space, design safer spacecraft, develop new materials, and more aboard the orbital outpost.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Kennedy Space Center's Advanced Systems Development organization conducts a test of an unmanned robotic submersible to evaluate its ability to assist divers in the task of recovering spent solid rocket boosters (SRBs) in the Atlantic Ocean. NASA and contractor Deep Sea Systems of Falmouth, Mass., demonstrated the Max Rover submersible at Port Canaveral's Trident pier. The fact-finding tests are part of NASA's effort to make SRB recovery operations safer and less strenuous

iss056e009782 (June 11, 2018) --- Expedition 56 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA) is seated in the Columbus laboratory module participating in the Grip study. Grip is an ESA-sponsored experiment that is researching how the nervous system adapts to microgravity. Observations may improve the design of safer space habitats and help patients on Earth with neurological diseases.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Kennedy Space Center's Advanced Systems Development organization conducts a test of an unmanned robotic submersible to evaluate its ability to assist divers in the task of recovering spent solid rocket boosters (SRBs) in the Atlantic Ocean. NASA and contractor Deep Sea Systems of Falmouth, Mass., demonstrated the Max Rover submersible at Port Canaveral's Trident pier. The fact-finding tests are part of NASA's effort to make SRB recovery operations safer and less strenuous

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Kennedy Space Center's Advanced Systems Development organization conducts a test of an unmanned robotic submersible to evaluate its ability to assist divers in the task of recovering spent solid rocket boosters (SRBs) in the Atlantic Ocean. NASA and contractor Deep Sea Systems of Falmouth, Mass., demonstrated the Max Rover submersible at Port Canaveral's Trident pier. The fact-finding tests are part of NASA's effort to make SRB recovery operations safer and less strenuous

iss066e137090 (Feb. 8, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Thomas Marshburn configures the Combustion Integrated Rack to begin operations for a pair of studies exploring fire growth in microgravity. The two SoFIE, or Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction, studies explore safer, less flammable spacecraft materials as well as fire extinguishing and suppresion techniques in microgravity.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

iss056e073250 (July 2, 2018) --- Astronaut Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) works on the Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) 2 experiment aboard the International Space Station. MICS 2 is researching how cement reacts in space during the hardening process and may help engineers better understand its microstructure and material properties. Observations could improve cement processing techniques on Earth and lead to the design of safer, lightweight space habitats.

iss068e040441 (Jan. 13, 2023) --- Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) wears virtual reality goggles and practices for the unlikely emergency scenario of becoming untethered from the International Space Station during a spacewalk. The virtual training familiarizes astronauts with operating the jet pack attached to their Extravehicular Mobility Units, or spacesuits, to safely return to the orbiting lab in the event they become detached during a spacewalk. The jet pack is also known by its longer name Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue, or SAFER.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

S93-26918 (8 Sept. 1994) --- Scott Bleisath, an extravehicular activity (EVA) engineer, demonstrates the hand control module for the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system making its first flight on the scheduled September STS-64 mission. Astronauts Mark C. Lee and Carl J. Meade are the spacewalkers assigned to test the system in space. Unidentified technicians and engineers look on. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

iss071e549501 (Aug. 26, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson replaces experiment hardware in the Combustion Integrated Rack located aboard the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module. The hardware replacement work was for the SoFIE-MIST investigation that is exploring ways to design safer materials for future space facilities and determine the best methods for extinguishing fires in space.

iss056e055604 (June 29, 2018) --- Astronaut Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) exhales into an ultra-sensitive gas analyzer for the Airway Monitoring experiment. The experiment studies the occurrence and indicators of airway inflammation in crew members to help flight surgeons plan safer, long-term missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Results may also help doctors treat patients on Earth with asthma or other airway inflammatory diseases.

iss049e045997 (10/25/2016) --- NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins as she begans the measurement of the European Space Agency (ESA) Airway Monitoring experiment in the Quest airlock. The investigation studies the occurrence and indicators of airway inflammation in crew members to help flight surgeons plan safer, long-term missions to the moon, Mars and beyond. Results may also help doctors treat patients on Earth with asthma or other airway inflammatory diseases.

ISS043E190395 (05/13/2015) --- NASA astronaut Terry Virts prepares the Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus from inside the Combustion Integrated Rack for upcoming runs of the FLame Extinguishment Experiment, or FLEX-2. The FLEX-2 experiment studies how quickly fuel burns, the conditions required for soot to form, and how mixtures of fuels evaporate before burning. Understanding these processes could lead to the production of a safer spacecraft as well as increased fuel efficiency for engines using liquid fuel on Earth.

S93-26920 (8 Sept. 1994) --- Scott Bleisath, an extravehicular activity (EVA) engineer, demonstrates the hand control module for the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system making its first flight on the scheduled September STS-64 mission. Astronauts Mark C. Lee and Carl J. Meade are the spacewalkers assigned to test the system in space. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

iss056e037491 (June 26, 2018) --- Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor from NASA works on the Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) 2 experiment aboard the International Space Station. MICS 2 is researching how cement reacts in space during the hardening process and may help engineers better understand its microstructure and material properties. Observations could improve cement processing techniques on Earth and lead to the design of safer, lightweight space habitats.

How do you measure a cloud? Tim Bencic does it with lasers. The NASA Glenn engineer invented a tomography system for our Propulsion Systems Lab to help understand the dangers of ice crystal icing on airplanes. Bencic’s system, affectionally called “Tim-ography” is like a CAT Scan. The laser light within its circular geometry bounces off the surface of ice particles in the cloud and fiber optic detectors map out its properties. This tool is helping NASA’s researchers make aircraft safer in challenging weather conditions.

iss056e073247 (July 2, 2018) --- Astronaut Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) works on the Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) 2 experiment aboard the International Space Station. MICS 2 is researching how cement reacts in space during the hardening process and may help engineers better understand its microstructure and material properties. Observations could improve cement processing techniques on Earth and lead to the design of safer, lightweight space habitats.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter. Posing with the experiment is aerospace engineer, Jonathan M. Goodman.

The test team prepares a test fixture with a nylon fabric sample at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The fabric in the test fixture forms a bubble when pressure is applied to the silicone bladder underneath. A similar test can be performed with a sensor on the fabric to verify the sensor will work when stretched in three dimensions.

Pressure is applied to a test fixture with a nylon fabric sample until it fails at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The fabric in the test fixture forms a bubble when pressure is applied to the silicone bladder underneath. In this frame, the silicone bladder is visible underneath the torn fabric after it was inflated to failure. A similar test can be performed with a sensor on the fabric to verify the sensor will work when stretched in three dimensions.

NASA commercial crew astronaut Mike Hopkins trains with Extravehicular Activity (EVA) tools and hardware in Johnson Space Center’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility in Houston. Hopkins is assigned to the second crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

Erick Rossi De La Fuente, from left, John Rudy, L. J. Hantsche, Adam Curry, Jeff Howell, Coby Asselin, Benjamin Mayeux, and Paul Bean pose with a test fixture, material, sensor, and data acquisition systems at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The sensor tests seek to quantify the limits of the material to improve computer models and make more reliable supersonic parachutes.

Coby Asselin, from left, Adam Curry, and L. J. Hantsche set up the data acquisition systems used during testing of a senor to determine parachute canopy material strength at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The sensor tests seek to quantify the limits of the material to improve computer models and make more reliable supersonic parachutes.

An aircraft body modeled after an air taxi with weighted test dummies inside is shown after a drop test at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The test was completed June 26 at Langley’s Landing and Impact Research Facility. The aircraft was dropped from a tall steel structure, known as a gantry, after being hoisted about 35 feet in the air by cables. NASA researchers are investigating aircraft materials that best absorb impact forces in a crash.

An aircraft body modeled after an air taxi with weighted test dummies inside is being prepared for a drop test by researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The test was completed June 26 at Langley’s Landing and Impact Research Facility. The aircraft was dropped from a tall steel structure, known as a gantry, after being hoisted about 35 feet in the air by cables. NASA researchers are investigating aircraft materials that best absorb impact forces in a crash.

An aircraft body modeled after an air taxi with weighted test dummies inside is hoisted about 35 feet in the air by cables at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The aircraft was dropped from a tall steel structure, known as a gantry, on June 26 at Langley’s Landing and Impact Research Facility. NASA researchers are investigating aircraft materials that best absorb impact forces in a crash.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 17, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 17, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

S94-39770 (August 1994) --- Astronaut Carl J. Meade, STS-64 mission specialist, is being submerged prior to an underwater simulation of a spacewalk scheduled for his September mission. Meade, who shared the rehearsal in the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F) pool with crewmate astronaut Mark C. Lee (partially visible at left), is equipped with a training version of new extravehicular activity (EVA) hardware called the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 17, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

STS064-310-005 (16 Sept. 1994) --- Astronaut Richard N. Richards, STS-64 commander, looks through one of the space shuttle Discovery's overhead flight deck windows to view the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) activities of astronauts Carl J. Meade, who took this picture, and Mark C. Lee. Wearing spacesuits in and around the space shuttle Discovery's cargo bay, astronauts Meade and Lee took turns trying out the new EVA test hardware called Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER). Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 17, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORMM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station..The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

S94-39775 (August 1994) --- Astronaut Carl J. Meade, STS-64 mission specialist, listens to ground monitors during a simulation of a spacewalk scheduled for his September mission. Meade, who shared the rehearsal in the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F) pool with crewmate astronaut Mark C. Lee, is equipped with a training version of new extravehicular activity (EVA) hardware called the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. The hardware includes a mobility-aiding back harness and a chest-mounted hand control module. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Teams conduct powerup and docking operations for the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) in a payload support room at Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston on May 18, 2011. STORRM was successfully demonstrated on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The goal of STORRM was to validate a new relative navigation sensor based on advanced laser and detector technology that will make docking and undocking spacecraft easier and safer. It also tested the hardware in the same environment that the sensors would experience on the first Orion rendezvous to another vehicle.