NASA and Boeing use Airfloat Air Casters to move their Starliner Space Capsule

THE SITUATION

NASA and Boeing needed a safe way to position their Starliner Space Capsule. Designed to take crew members and supplies to the International Space Station, the starliner capsule weighed nearly 30,000 lbs and had a development cost of $1.5 Billion. Due to the sensitive nature of the materials and electronics on the capsule, the movement of the capsule needed to have minimal impact on the Space Capsule and its fixture. The movement of the capsule also needed to be precise, as any accidental damage to the capsule was unacceptable.

THE SOLUTION

After evaluating the alternatives, Boeing decided to use Airfloat Air Caster Skids to move the Starliner Space Capsule. The Air Caster Skids enable the team of scientists and technicians to move the Starliner easily by hand into precise location.

How It's Done

Boeing & NASA mounted our off-the-shelf Air Caster Skids to the bottom of the capsule's fixture, allowing the team at NASA to precisely position the capsule by hand.

Omni-Directional Movement

Air Caster Skids enable the team at NASA to position the capsule with precision by hand, enabling precision movement around NASA facilities.

Safety First

Air Caster Skids Only lift the fixture millimeters off the ground, reducing the chance of tip-over or operator injury.

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NASA Starliner Space Capsule Move

CASE STUDY

THE SITUATION

THE SOLUTION