Researchers Test Space Docking System with 37-Ton Air Hockey Table

For decades, scientists have found creative ways to test gear for use in space -- from simulating missions in the ocean to signing up volunteers in Hawaii to consume space food. But, the latest experiment funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) may take the cake.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Spacecraft Engineering Department was commissioned to build a frictionless 37-ton air hockey table to test a new satellite docking system, according to Gizmodo. The one-of-a-kind prototype accurately simulates the physics of space and keeps objects suspended in air. A successful docking system would allow older satellites to be mov…
Continue reading...

More About: DARPA, space