Nasa is developing humanoid robots that could work alongside astronauts on missions to the Moon and Mars, taking on dangerous jobs too risky for humans.
The robots could repair equipment, move supplies, inspect spacecraft, and maintain extraterrestrial bases while keeping humans out of harm’s way.
Dexterous Robotics Team at Johnson Space Center
A 16-member Dexterous Robotics Team at Nasa’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, is developing hardware and software that could allow robots to operate reliably in some of the most hostile environments imaginable.
Nasa insists the machines are intended to work alongside astronauts rather than replace them.
Shaun Azimi, lead of the Dexterous Robotics Team, said: ‘Our team is not trying to replace human explorers with robots but instead make human exploration safer and more sustainable.’
He added: ‘If we can send more capable robots, we can reduce the risk and make people more effective in doing the things that people do best.’
Robots built for extreme conditions
Astronauts travelling into deep space face radiation, extreme temperatures, vacuum conditions and abrasive lunar or Martian dust. Robots do not face many of the same limitations and could remain at remote outposts for long periods, carrying out maintenance or preparing facilities before astronauts arrive.
Nasa’s work builds on years of experience with humanoid machines including Robonaut 2, which underwent demonstrations aboard the International Space Station.
Another is Valkyrie – also known as R5 – a 6ft 2in humanoid originally built for the 2013 DARPA Robotics Challenge. The 300lb (136kg) electric robot has 44 degrees of freedom and can operate from mains power or a battery.
Testing and future vision
Nasa is testing robotic technology at its Integrated Mobile Evaluation Testbed for Robotics Operations – known as iMETRO – at Johnson Space Center.
One of the biggest challenges is ensuring robots can work without humans continuously controlling their every movement. Communication delays become increasingly significant farther from Earth, with signals between Earth and Mars potentially taking many minutes each way.
Nasa therefore wants robots capable of receiving higher-level instructions before independently carrying out the movements needed to complete a task.
Tests have already seen robotic arms operate spacecraft-style hatches, move cargo and inspect equipment similar to that used aboard space stations.
The agency is examining how such technology could support a future moon base – and eventually astronauts travelling to Mars. The long-term vision is a future in which astronauts exploring another world could have robotic colleagues working beside them – or waiting there before they arrive.
