Lebanon Co. students tapped to build hardware for NASA and International Space Station

By Q’Hubo News Team

Students at Lebanon County Career and Technology Center (LCCTC) in Eric Tanager’s Industrial Machine Technology class have been tasked with making parts for NASA and the  International Space Station (ISS). The LCCTC applied and was awarded to participate through a partnership with the High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware or NASA HUNCHprogram.

According to LCCTC Administrative Director Glenn Meck, the program involves partnerships between high schools and NASA. So far, the LCCTC is the only school in Pennsylvania that is manufacturing flight hardware for NASA.

“Our class has been tasked with making parts for handrails that will be used to help astronauts stay stationary while on the ISS,” said Meck. “The items are built to drawing specifications and need to show the highest quality output possible.  The students learn about quality assurance best practices and to expect quality from all of the items they create.”

According to the HUNCH program, ISS crew members use a multitude of handrails for restraints in zero-gravity, as well as a point of attachment for hardware or tools. They slide on and off seat tracks inside the ISS and are always in need of replacements. At the completion of the project a locker signed by all the LCCTC Precision Machine students will be sent to the ISS for use by the astronauts to remember the partnership between the LCCTC and NASA.

To learn more about the HUNCH program please go to www.nasahunch.com.

This story first appeared in Q’Hubo News, a publishing partner of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.