NASA’s development of humanoid robots for space exploration is taking shape

humanoid robot Valkyrie The experiment, from NASA, which is currently being tested at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, could be key to future space exploration. Valkyrie, a robot nearly two meters tall and weighing 136 kilograms, is designed to work in human-designed environments that are degraded or damaged, such as those affected by natural disasters.

Valkyrie also includes advanced software systems that make it easier to process sensory information and perform tasks semi-autonomously, although it can also be controlled remotely by human operators. The US space agency estimates that robots like Valkyrie will be able to perform tasks in outer space as well.

NASA is collaborating with robotics companies, including Austin, Texas-based Aptronic, to understand how humanoid robots built for terrestrial use might be adapted to future space missions. Among Aptronic’s current developments is Apollo, a robot designed for logistics tasks in warehouses and manufacturing plants, such as carrying packages and stacking pallets.

“Our goal is to keep the system online 22 hours a day,” he said. ksl Nick Penn, Chief Technology Officer, Aptronic. “It has a replaceable battery, so you can work for four hours, change the battery and then move on in a much faster period.”

NASA’s Dexterous Robotics team, led by Shawn Azimi, suggests that these humanoid robots could perform risky activities outside the spacecraft, such as cleaning solar panels or inspecting faulty equipment, allowing astronauts to focus on exploration and discovery. To free to do. “We’re not trying to replace human crews, but rather take away the boring, dirty and dangerous work so they can focus on higher-level activities,” he said. ksl Azimi.

Apollo would offer a significant advantage over humans in terms of endurance. Apptronic CEO Jeff Cardenas sees limitless potential for improving Apollo’s capabilities as new software developments progress. “We start in warehouse and manufacturing plants, but then we can move into retail…delivery and what we call the unstructured space,” he said when consulted by the same medium.

In the future, spatial environments such as unstructured spaces may be included in the activity areas of these developments. “Robots like Apollo are designed with modularity in mind to adapt to multiple applications,” Azimi explained. “And that’s where NASA is really trying to get that approach – to see what the key gaps are, where we need to get a ground system into the space environment and get it certified to work in space.” “There will be a need to invest in the future.”