NASA astronauts attach 'Robot Hotel' to space station, here's what it is

NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Chris Cassidy, who recently upgraded the power system at International Space Station (ISS), have now created a ‘robot hotel’. However, the Robot Hotel is not actually a hotel but a tools storage unit, which has been created in order to free up living space inside the ISS.

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The ‘Robot hotel’ officially called robotic Tool storage (RiTS) was attached to Mobile Base System (MBS) during a spacewalk on July 21, by Behnken and Cassidy. The spacewalks which primarily aimed at upgrading the power system at ISS was broadcasted live.

Image credits: NASA 

'Provides physical protection too'

According to experts, MBS is a moveable platform providing power to external robots. RiTS is attached to a special location that allows it to traverse around the station alongside a robot that would allow it to use the tools.

“RiTS provides thermal and physical protection for tools stored on the outside of the station, not only freeing up room onboard but also allowing the Canadian Space Agency’s Dextre robot to access them more quickly,” said RiTS Hardware Manager Mark Neuman wrote on NASA website.

The process of installation involved multiple steps which began with the astronauts preparing it inside the ISS.  Initially, they unpacked the RiTS components which have been in the storage since it first landed there in December 2019. Following which, two units of a tool called Robotic External Leak Locator(RELL) were taken and were affixed inside RiTS aluminium housing.

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The last part, that is, installation required the astronauts to mechanically attach RiTS to an available worksite socket and mate two electrical cables to unused power outlets on the MBS. Astronomers assert that the power connection was essential to enable heaters within RiTS that keep RELL from keeping cold.

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Image credits: NASA