Space Grapple Prototype

pinshape

In NASA videos, we see astronauts floating around in microgravity, reliant on firm surfaces to push off from. Hollywood movies show astronauts narrowly missing zipping space stations and outstretched arms - poor George Clooney! If only those astronauts had a space grapple, think of the tragedies that could be avoided, like flying off into space or lukewarm coffee! The space grapple serves a dual purpose: a hook for snagging passing spacecraft and a magnet for getting around inside once you've rescued yourself from the ravages of space. Throw it at a magnetic surface and then reel yourself in. Of course, this is just a prototype - NASA would create the real model with titanium alloys and super-strong, lightweight space-age cord, likely an even more powerful magnet. This design also has another benefit: astronauts have one of the coolest jobs ever, but who do they look up to? Frikkin' Batman, that's who! The space grapple will allow bored astronauts floating through space to pretend they have the one job that might be cooler than theirs - the caped crusader with his many wonderful toys. (Maybe NASA can attach this to a launcher fired by a gas canister) Only George Clooney has been both an astronaut and Batman, to my knowledge - there's nothing left for him to aspire to. Let's send one of these space grapplers to space with every astronaut, and then George Clooney can make it back to Earth with Sandra Bullock. This is more of a space toy than anything else - hooking fellow astronauts and trying to snag loose metal objects floating around the cabin. It could probably do just as well as a simple magnet on a string for that purpose, but it looks cooler as a grappling hook. Prints should be done at 100% infill for strength. In theory, it doesn't need supports to print, but there's so little contact with the hooks and the build platform I added a few supports on the bottom after a couple of failed print attempts - it worked nicely. The opening at the bottom is designed to fit three 1/2 inch round neodymium magnets as shown in the picture.