What Do People Think Space Robots Do?
People are not quite sure what space robots are. They often associate these machines with the Daleks from "Doctor Who," who want to colonize the universe and kill humans. This couldn't be further from the truth. And, for the record, they look nothing like the robots in "Star Trek" and "Star Wars."
What Do Space Robots Do?
Space robots actually help humans. They complete manual tasks and provide astronauts with assistance. In fact, there are space robots working on the International Space Station right now. Although they are expensive to produce, it's cheaper to send a robot to space than a human.
We can send robots to explore space without having to worry so much about their safety. Of course, we want these carefully built robots to last. We need them to stick around long enough to investigate and send us information about their destinations. But even if a robotic mission fails, the humans involved with the mission stay safe.
Sending a robot to space is also much cheaper than sending a human. Robots don’t need to eat or sleep or go to the bathroom. They can survive in space for many years and can be left out there—no need for a return trip!
Plus, robots can do lots of things that humans can’t. Some can withstand harsh conditions, like extreme temperatures or high levels of radiation. Robots can also be built to do things that would be too risky or impossible for astronauts.
What are some of the robots NASA is currently developing?
You’ve probably heard of some of NASA’s robots: the Mars rovers, like Perseverance and Curiosity. But those are just a few of the most famous robots. NASA engineers are working on new robots all the time.
One of the latest robots is nicknamed A-PUFFER, short for Autonomous Pop-Up Flat Folding Explorer Robot. The inspiration for this lightweight, two-wheeled adventurer came from origami designs. The robot can flatten itself out and duck down to investigate tight spots.
Then there’s BRUIE, the Buoyant Rover for Under-Ice Exploration. This robot can float in the water and roll its wheels along the underside of an icy surface, all while taking pictures and collecting data.
Scientists hope to someday use a robot like this to search for signs of life on icy bodies elsewhere in the solar system. For example, the underground oceans of Jupiter’s moon Europa or Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
Are all of NASA’s robots rovers?
Certainly not! Take a look at this robot, called Hedgehog.
This spiky cube of a robot is being developed by NASA with Stanford University and MIT. Hedgehog is designed to explore small bodies, such as asteroids or comets. These have very little gravity and extremely rough terrain. Instead of rolling, Hedgehog hops and tumbles.
What if it lands upside-down? No big deal. It can operate on any of its sides. It could even get itself out of a deep crater using a tornado-like maneuver that launches the robot into the air.
Does NASA make any robots that look like humans?
Yes! These are called humanoid robots. There are some tasks for which a robot that moves more like a human might be best. For example, we might like a humanoid robot to help prepare a future human settlement on Mars. With such tasks in mind, NASA’s Johnson Space Center has developed a robot named R5, or Valkyrie.
This electric robot relies on cameras, sensors, lots of motors, and two computers. These tools help R5 to navigate its surroundings and move like a human.
Whether walking, tumbling, flying, or rolling, robots have a major role to play in space exploration!
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