Study on the Design of Space Gloves and EVA Suits with Future Challenges

Abstract

The interaction of humans with space has increased tremendously. With the growing role of Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), the astronaut gloves in space suits require technological research and innovations. The gloves may seem insignificant to design, but it is practically the most tedious as all the tasks during an EVA require significant hand usage. A space glove should have strength and capabilities like dexterity, manipulability, and tactility. Its primary objective is to allow astronauts to move their fingers as efficiently as possible and aid with locomotion, restraint, and object handling. The present glove is cumbersome due to high torque requirements at the knuckles or metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. Also, astronauts suffer from a condition called fingernail delamination (or onycholysis) due to sustained pressure on the fingertips. The focus is on the main challenges of the given technology and scientific enhancements and how to use them to draw all their benefits. This paper provides a review study to determine the project's plausibility with gradual and substantial technological advancements.