NASA's cubic-foot Astrobee robots to help humans work in zero-gravity aboard the Space Station
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – New robot assistants called "Astrobees," developed by NASA to assist in the operation of the International Space Station, are equipped with a sizeable payload of cameras and sensors to enable the robotics to navigate the station. Vision Systems Design reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
3 May 2019 -- The three Astrobees deployed to the Space Station, named Honey, Queen, and Bumble, are cube-shaped robots that measure slightly larger than one foot wide.
The robots can function autonomously or via remote control. They were developed at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., to help astronauts with maintenance, inventory tracking, conducting experiments, and studying how humans and robots will interact in space.
The Astrobees are propelled by a pair of battery-operated fans that enable movement in any direction in zero-gravity, and equipped with a robotic arm for gripping objects and handrails. When an Astrobee's battery is low it will automatically fly to its power station and dock to recharge.
Related: DARPA kicks off RSGS program to build a space robot to maintain geosynchronous satellites
Related: Radiation-hardened space electronics enter the multi-core era
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
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