VELCRO® Brand Fasteners and NASA
VELCRO® Brand fasteners have been used in NASA spaceflight items to help secure, store, organize, and manage objects in low-gravity environments. The examples on this page show NASA-related artifacts where VELCRO® Brand fasteners helped hold toiletries, cosmetics, recreational equipment, and tools in place.
Four examples from NASA spaceflight history: a personal hygiene kit from Space Shuttle STS-95, a Skylab dartboard and darts set, a Space Shuttle makeup kit, and a Skylab utility tool belt.
NASA-Related VELCRO® Brand Fastener Examples
| Artifact | Space Program Context | Fastener Use |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Hygiene Kit | Space Shuttle, STS-95 | VELCRO® Brand fasteners held toiletries securely inside the case. |
| Dartboard and Darts | Skylab | The dartboard set used VELCRO® Brand fasteners to avoid sharp-pointed tips. |
| Makeup Kit | Space Shuttle | The cosmetics case was secured closed with VELCRO® Brand fasteners. |
| Utility Tool Belt | Skylab | VELCRO® Brand fasteners helped attach tools to the caddy, lined belt, or strips on astronauts’ pants. |
Personal Hygiene Kit, Space Shuttle STS-95
Each astronaut packed a personal hygiene kit with products for cleanliness and grooming. In this example, VELCRO® Brand fasteners held the toiletries securely inside the case.
John Glenn or another crew member used this kit during the STS-95 mission in 1998. The hygiene items displayed in and around the kit were carried on the first flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981.
Dartboard and Darts, Skylab
This dartboard set is a duplicate of one carried aboard the Skylab space station in 1973-74. It was made with VELCRO® Brand fasteners to avoid the safety hazard of sharp-pointed tips.
Makeup Kit, Space Shuttle
Female astronauts could supplement their personal hygiene kit with a cosmetics case like this one. The case was secured closed with VELCRO® Brand fasteners.
Utility Tool Belt, Skylab
This utility tool belt is a duplicate of a tool caddy belt stowed on Skylab. VELCRO® Brand fasteners on each tool allowed the item to attach to the VELCRO® Brand-lined caddy or VELCRO® Brand strips on the astronauts’ pants.
This provided a tidy solution for managing small items in space.
Why Hook and Loop Fasteners Matter in Space and Industrial Applications
The NASA examples on this page show practical reasons hook and loop fasteners are useful: they can help secure loose items, organize tools, hold cases closed, and reduce reliance on sharp or loose hardware. Those same fastening needs also appear in industrial, commercial, military, government, aerospace, and cable-management applications.
VELCRO® Brand Fasteners and NASA FAQs
Did NASA invent VELCRO® Brand fasteners?
No. This page shows NASA-related uses of VELCRO® Brand fasteners, but it does not state that NASA invented them.
How were VELCRO® Brand fasteners used in the Space Shuttle personal hygiene kit?
VELCRO® Brand fasteners held toiletries securely inside the personal hygiene kit used during the Space Shuttle STS-95 mission.
Why did the Skylab dartboard use VELCRO® Brand fasteners?
The Skylab dartboard and darts set used VELCRO® Brand fasteners to avoid the safety hazard of sharp-pointed tips.
How did the Skylab utility tool belt use VELCRO® Brand fasteners?
VELCRO® Brand fasteners on each tool allowed tools to attach to the VELCRO® Brand-lined caddy or to VELCRO® Brand strips on the astronauts’ pants.