Nuts for the Stars: Specialized Tools and Fasteners for Construction In Space
When the astronauts operating the robot arms of the space shuttle lift the big modules into place to be fastened to the space station, motor-driven bolts will spin into captive nuts to make the structural connection. To ensure fit, only one nut in a pattern is fixed. The others have conical entries and can shift slightly along differing vectors to ensure alignment.
But even though those connections have been largely automated, there is a great deal of hand work to be done. The big, bulky space suits, which become nearly rigid when pressurized, make hand and arm movements very tiring, so work plans and tools are designed to minimize motion.