Caltech robot makes history by building a structure in space
Caltech researchers have successfully demonstrated a robot capable of autonomously assembling a truss structure in space. This DARPA-funded project aims to revolutionize how large-scale scientific instruments and spacecraft are constructed in orbit.
Why it matters
Autonomous in-space manufacturing could significantly reduce the cost and complexity of building massive structures that are too large to launch from Earth in one piece.
For the first time, a robot has successfully assembled part of a structure in space without astronauts, demonstrating a technology that could dramatically change how large spacecraft and scientific instruments are built.
The robotic system was developed by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) with funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It is part of DARPA's Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design (NOM4D) program, an initiative exploring ways to manufacture and assemble enormous structures directly in space.
Rather than relying on astronauts to connect individual pieces, the robot uses an automated arm to retrieve structural tubes and connecting joints from nearby storage dispensers. It then joins the components into repeating sections, called bays, that form a larger supporting framework known as a truss.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in