Why when working on something like satellites, space rovers etc does everyone have to wear gear as if working with diseased patients?
In: Engineering
2 reasons, depending on the specific spacecraft. The first reason applies to all spacecraft, which is that you’ve built something that costs hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars with extremely sensitive equipment and no way to repair it once in space. You need to avoid getting any dust or grease or particles of any kind on it. Even touching a spacecraft with an ungloved hand can leave skin oils that can cause problems. A bit of hair or dust could block a crucial part like an antenna or solar panel from unfolding. You need to keep spacecraft as clean as possible.
The second reason applies to spacecraft going to planets or moons that could potentially harbor life, which is that we don’t want to contaminate these places with microbes from Earth. The spacecraft are sterilized as best as possible, and it’s crucial to keep them that way. Humans are absolutely covered in bacteria and other microorganisms, and it’s essential to keep them from getting on the spacecraft.
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