NASA is looking for applications for its Astrobee space robots

The US space agency NASA is asking for help in finding applications for its free-flying cube-shaped space robots Astrobee, which have already been operating on the International Space Station (ISS) for around six years. As potential project partners, US companies are invited to offer suggestions on how the Astrobees can be used to further advance robotics in space. NASA has initiated a request for information for this purpose.

The cuboid Astrobee robots "Bumble", "Honey" and "Queen" with an edge length of around 30 cm have already been in use on the ISS since 2018. With their propeller drive, the battery-powered robots can move freely through the individual modules on the space station in zero gravity. The robots are equipped with lights, cameras and sensors for inspection, simple maintenance, inventory and documentation tasks. They also have interchangeable arms and magnets to hold on to objects or themselves. The latter is used to remain in a stable position during a task.

The robots can perform some recurring, time-consuming tasks – such as instrument monitoring – autonomously, thus relieving the astronauts on board the ISS. However, the Astrobees can also be remotely controlled by astronauts, operators or researchers on Earth for more complex tasks. The Astrobee system has now completed thousands of hours of testing in hundreds of experiments and demonstrated its ability to work with humans in space.

NASA now wants to go one step further and is looking for applications that will advance human-robot technology in terms of maintenance and exploration tasks for manned and unmanned spacecraft that are to be carried out in deep space, for example.

NASA ISAAC projects

Initial experiments have already been carried out as part of the ISAAC project (Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking). The Astrobees were used to investigate how robots can support spacecraft, vehicle systems and ground personnel. According to NASA's idea, the robots can be used as companions and supporters for spacecraft in NASA's Moon to Mars plans and the construction of the Gateway Lunar Space Station and the Mars Transit Habitat Vehicle. These support robots are particularly important for periods in which the spacecraft operate unmanned.

In other ISAAC projects, the Astrobees were used, for example, to measure the ISS with robotic support and to localize a sound source in space. The navigation of the robots between the ISS modules was also investigated to gain insights into how future robots can autonomously transfer cargo between spacecraft or react to time-critical disruptions, such as a leak in the outer shell caused by a micrometeorite impact.

The requirements placed on the future partners of US industry are high: they must finance their projects approved by NASA themselves and bear the costs for planning, the deployment of the Astrobee systems in Earth orbit and all costs incurred for ground facilities and personnel. NASA will only provide support, for example in the provision of Astrobees and spare parts, as well as in planning and implementation. Interested companies can apply to NASA with a 10-page application, which includes an overview of the company's expertise and the planned Astrobee project.

(olb)