NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Asteroid Anchors

Zero-Gravity Grip Courtesy JPL

A team led by engineer Aaron Parness at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has solved one of the biggest challenges for future space expeditions: How to attach to a zero-gravity surface without drilling permanent anchors. Parness developed a set of robotic feet that grab uneven, rocky surfaces using hundreds of tiny hooks known as microspines. Modeled after the grasping spines on cockroach legs, the polyurethane microspines grip tightly yet can quickly release when it’s time to move to a new target.