Can geckos help scientists clear space debris?

NASA researchers have conducted a research to examine what makes a gecko's feet sticky and fashioned a device called "gecko-gripper" based on the findings.

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The device can stick to almost anything in the hostile space environment.

Geckos have specialised hairs on their feet called setae that let them stick to vertical surfaces without falling, and their stickiness doesn't wear off with repeated use, a NASA statement said.

The technology would aid robotic crawlers to walk along the exteriors of the spacecraft. The grippers would use a touch-to-stick method to grab or release objects. The sensor mounts of the device can work on any surface and can be re-used multiple times.

Minuscule silicon wedges are used in the gecko-gripper which allows them to stick to slippery surfaces such as plastics and solar panels. Silicon can withstand severe temperature, pressure and even radiations.

NASA looks forward to substituting the traditional adhesives such as velcro with gecko grippers. Adhesives like velcro are known to leave behind residue in space and are complicated to use.

Van der Waals forces refer to the attraction of intermolecular forces. The force is temporarily created in the setae of gecko's feet which allow it to stick to the surface.

The Van der Waals force develops when the electrons are not present evenly inside atoms and molecules, which form a negative and a positive pole creating a weak electrical field.

Scientists could use the gecko grippers for clearing the space debris. The floating debris and dust in space pose danger to satellites and space stations.

"Velcro is bad for collecting debris because it requires two points of connection: a strip of velcro on the trash-collecting device, and a strip on the debris itself. Gecko grippers could be a viable solution," Quartz reported.