Prepping a satellite instrument for its journey into space can feel like getting ready to lift off yourself. The sensors on board are vulnerable to the slightest speck of contamination—so to get close, you have to suit up. Required clean room attire includes a hair net, face mask, paper suit, disposable boots, and surgical gloves. No notebooks allowed—only paper that doesn’t release fluff if you tear it—and no clicky ballpoint pens. They spit out tiny balls of ink.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices