`Baby bouncer to help astronauts to explore smaller space bodies

Astronauts could one day be able to explore asteroids and the tiny moons of other planets with a baby bouncer to keep them tied to the surface.

Washington, Sept.6 : Astronauts could one day be able to explore asteroids and the tiny moons of other planets with a "baby bouncer" to keep them tied to the surface.

The lack of gravity on smaller space bodies means astronauts would float away without a something to hold them down.

But Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists said a spacecraft could tie a ribbon of ultra-strong fibre around the rock in two parallel loops.

The astronaut would then be attached to the ribbons by a waistband on the suit.

The contraption, which looks like a space-aged baby bouncer, would allow astronauts free movement.

Nasa is currently considering sending astronauts on a voyage to an asteroid.

ANI