Pallets Not Only Move the World, They’re Out of This World

We love it when we hear mention of pallets in the mainstream media, which is why we thought we’d call your attention to two recent stories in which the rigid platform takes center stage.

Last month, astronauts performed several spacewalks outside the International Space Station to install two new batteries in the lab’s solar power system. And, to accomplish it, the astronauts relied on the station’s robot arm and…pallets! Pallets were instrumental in the process because the power system is beyond the reach of the robot arm.

First the batteries took a ride on a pallet, positioned on the end of the robot’s arm, to the work site. Then, they were transferred to the electronics assembly by the astronauts. As you can imagine, it was a tedious process to manually move the batteries back and forth. And, it was a workout, too. The new batteries weigh 428 pounds each and the old ones are 365 pounds. It’s a good thing the astronauts had pallets to help them carry the load. Read the full story here.

Earlier in August, on the MSNBC show The 11th Hour, Brian Williams referenced pallets as a key indicator of our country’s economic condition. He said, “A lot of people have their favorite industry to track. Some people like tracking RVs, others look at trucking. I know someone who looks at sales of wooden pallets because that’s an instant indicator of planned shipping and activity.”

In these two stories alone, it’s easy to see the important impact of pallets. They’re everywhere for good reason—the world as we know it simply couldn’t function without them.

Have you seen or heard stories of pallets in the news? Comment below and tell us! And, when you’re ready for a supply of your own, call the pros at Rose Pallet.