• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • MARKETS & PRODUCTS
    • Markets


      Construction

      Cybersecurity

      Fixed Gas & Flame Detection

      General Industry

      Healthcare

      HVAC-R

      Oil & Gas

      Training

      Utilities

      Products


      Combustion Analysis

      Confined Space

      Connected Work

      Corporate

      Fall Protection

      Fixed Gas & Flame Detection

      Gas Analysis

      General

      Head Protection

      Heat Stress

      Leak Detection

      Portable Gas Detection

      Refrigerant Analysis

      Respiratory Protection

      Column
  • SUBSCRIBE

Keeping Astronauts Safe on the International Space Station

3 Min Read | Apr 18, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutesFor MSA Safety, helping men and women stay safe does not apply to just those working on earth, but also to those working in space. Now onboard the International Space Station (ISS), MSA Safety’s combustible gas sensors are part of NASA’s Advanced Hydrogen Sensor Technology Demonstration.

April 18, 2022 by Melina Mangino

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Space Station in space

For MSA Safety, helping men and women stay safe does not apply to just those working on earth, but also to those working in space. Now onboard the International Space Station (ISS), MSA Safety’s combustible gas sensors are part of NASA’s Advanced Hydrogen Sensor Technology Demonstration.

Now onboard the International Space Station (ISS), MSA Safety’s combustible gas sensors are part of NASA’s Advanced Hydrogen Sensor Technology Demonstration. The system is testing new ways to keep astronauts safe by detecting hydrogen, a highly flammable gas.

MSA catalytic bead sensors are part of the Advanced Hydrogen Sensor Technology Demonstration that is testing an alternative technology to detect the presence of excess hydrogen in the output stream of the Oxygen Generation Assembly, which provides breathing oxygen to the ISS crew. Existing monitoring systems help to keep the ISS astronauts safe by alerting NASA to warning signs of high hydrogen levels onboard the space station. The test system reached the ISS in February with the system’s deployment expected to begin in April. The system is designed to demonstrate the suitability and reliability of the MSA sensors for use in space, after years of successful ground testing.

Brett Ashmore, MSA Safety Senior Field Sales Manager, has been a member of the MSA team involved in this sensor project that dates back a decade.

“Lives are at stake when providing breathing air to astronauts in space,” Ashmore said. “This is a great accomplishment to finally have our sensors launched, and we are really proud of our team. Seeing the sensors used in space is really a badge of honor for all of us.”

Known for their sensitivity, reliability, and longevity, MSA’s gas sensors have a history of performing in some of the toughest environments on the planet and are now going one step further. The sensors are manufactured by MSA in the United States and sold throughout the world.

“Our sensors are used in some of the most extreme operating conditions, like offshore oil and gas rigs, and it is exciting to see them proven to be effective in the aerospace industry,” Ashmore said. “In all testing, our sensors consistently performed with reliability, long life, and high accuracy, which we believe makes them a trusted choice for use on critical life support systems.”

MSA has a history of working with NASA dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. A part of the company, then called General Monitors, developed a hydrogen-specific catalytic bead sensor for Project Gemini to protect NASA workers and astronauts from explosions and fires. MSA played a role in Project Mercury with its canisters designed to absorb the carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts and was involved in the Apollo Program by designing respiratory protection for NASA astronauts.

“We’re extremely proud of the work our associates have done in collaboration with so many organizations on this project,” said Greg Martin, MSA Safety Vice President of Strategy and Product Development. “This is yet another example of MSA’s innovation and reliability in the fixed gas and flame detection market and has led to additional opportunities for the company in the aerospace market. We are excited to be helping to keep people safe around the world and in orbit.”

For more information about the mission, please visit NASA’s mission page here.

Work Safely with Hydrogen

Explore Solutions

Recommended for You

Fixed Gas & Flame Detection

UV/IR vs MSIR Flame Technology

September 9, 2024
2 Min Read
Senscient ELDS
Fixed Gas & Flame Detection

Ethylene Gas Leak Detection

August 9, 2024
2 Min Read
Anhydrous Ammonia Tank
Fixed Gas & Flame Detection

Are You Prepared for Ammonia Gas Leaks

January 22, 2024
5 Min Read
Fixed Gas & Flame Detection

In the Know: Navigating the Hazards of Methane Gas Leaks

February 12, 2024
4 Min Read
Share:

Footer

MSA MISSION: That men and women may work in safety and that they, their families, and their communities may live in health throughout the world.

MSASafety.com

  • Construction
  • General Industry
  • Oil & Gas
  • HVAC-R
  • Utilities
  • Fixed Gas & Flame Detection
  • Fire Service
MSA on Facebook   MSA on X   MSA on Instagram   MSA on LinkedIn   MSA on YouTube  

Contact

  • blog@msasafety.com
  • 1-800-672-2222
  • View All Contact Info
  • Subscribe

Other MSA Blogs

  • Fire Service – The Scene
  • FieldServer – The Safety Connection

© 2024 MSA. All rights reserved.

© 2025 MSA . All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT