NASA’s Fly Foundational Robots Mission to Advance In-Space Infrastructure
NASA, together with industry partners, plans to launch and operate a commercial robotic arm in low Earth orbit through the Fly Foundational Robots mission, scheduled for late 2027. This mission aims to transform in-space operations, a vital capability for sustainable living and working on other planets. By enabling this technology demonstration, NASA is supporting the growth of the in-space robotics industry, unlocking valuable tools for future scientific discovery and exploration missions.
Bo Naasz, senior technical lead for In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, explained the mission’s potential. “Today it’s a robotic arm demonstration, but one day these same technologies could be assembling solar arrays, refueling satellites, constructing lunar habitats, or manufacturing products that benefit life on Earth,” he said. Naasz emphasized that this effort is key to building a dominant space economy and establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars.
Capabilities of NASA’s Fly Foundational Robots
The Fly Foundational Robots (FFR) mission will use a robotic arm developed by Motiv Space Systems, a small business based in Pasadena, California. This robotic arm is designed for dexterous manipulation, autonomous tool use, and the ability to walk across spacecraft structures in zero or partial gravity environments. The mission could open new possibilities for repairing and refueling spacecraft, constructing habitats and infrastructure in space, maintaining life support systems on the lunar and Martian surfaces, and assisting astronauts during long-duration missions.
Advancing robotic systems in space through the FFR mission could also improve our understanding of similar technologies on Earth. Industries such as construction, medicine, and transportation may benefit from innovations developed for space robotics. By demonstrating these capabilities in orbit, NASA aims to push the boundaries of what robotic systems can achieve both in space and on Earth.
NASA’s Fly Foundational Robots Demonstration and Collaboration Opportunities
To carry out the demonstration of the commercial robotic arm, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is partnering with Astro Digital, a company based in Littleton, Colorado. Astro Digital will provide a hosted orbital test platform through NASA’s Flight Opportunities program. This program enables flight testing of new space technologies in relevant environments.
The FFR mission will also offer opportunities for guest roboticists to participate. These collaborators can use Motiv’s robotic platform as a testbed to perform unique tasks in orbit. NASA will act as the first guest operator and is currently inviting other interested U.S. partners to join the mission.
Testing robotic operations in space is essential before launching more complex servicing and refueling missions. The Fly Foundational Robots demonstration will begin to open the door to a wide range of future possibilities by proving the capabilities of Motiv’s robotic arm in orbit.
The Fly Foundational Robots demonstration is funded through NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate’s ISAM portfolio and managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Motiv Space Systems is supplying the robotic arm system under a NASA Small Business Innovation Research Phase III award. Astro Digital will conduct the flight test through NASA’s Flight Opportunities program, which is managed by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
For more information about In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing, visit NASA’s official resources.
For more stories on this topic, visit our category page.
Source: original article.