NASA Artemis III astronauts need a way to attach and detach various tools to an extension handle to be used during lunar EVA sample collection. Because lunar dust is so harsh and abundant, mechanisms must be designed to function regardless of the number of contact particulates. Past designs used on the Apollo missions proved to be problematic for their operators, opening the door for innovative improvement. A new mechanism has been proposed that directly addresses the performance issues of the original handle extension mentioned in NASA’s Apollo mission reports. The new mechanism boasts an open design that promotes dust tolerance while maintaining operational simplicity. The device contains two primary components: a cylindrical insert with a notched groove, and a perforated socket paired with a cam latch. The notches in the insert allow lunar dust to pass through the negative space without sacrificing contact stability. A similar effect is achieved by the perforations in the socket. The assembly meets all Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) standards and is intended for use with EVA gloved hands. The approved design proposal is complete and physical development is near complete. The justification for this design pertains to the challenge specifications provided by NASA. All material requirements, as well as a finalized manufacturing plan have been identified. All specifications meet compliance, and a final prototype was tested in the NBL as well as the Simulant Lab in the Johnson Space Center
