It’s been hinted as a technology that would be useful for future space exploration missions. The technology, a logistics robot, would be designed to work inside spacecraft or space stations.
When Canada committed to the Lunar Gateway, one of its contributions was always going to include robotics. And we now know that the Canadarm3 will be an integral part of the Lunar Gateway. It will however be working on the outside of the Gateway. However, there’s been an ongoing discussion within the space community of developing a next-generation AI powered robotic system that would be used inside a spacecraft or space station.
As SpaceQ first reported in May of 2019, NASA has been interested in this type of logistics robot and that it might eventually be a Canadian contribution to the Lunar Gateway.
That effort was kickstarted today with MDA’s announcement that Australia’s Queensland University of Technology (QUT) will partner with them to design and demonstrate a prototype logistics robot for the interior of spacecraft and which might one day be used in the “International Space Station (ISS) or the Lunar Gateway.” Also participating in the partnership is Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth.
MDA’s Vice President of Robotics and Space Operations, Tim Kopra said “MDA is excited about working collaboratively with Australian organizations to help grow the Australian Space Industry. This project couples MDA’s space robotics capabilities with Australia’s recognized leadership in remote industrial operations, and we are looking forward to working with this great team in support of the Australian Space Agency Moon-to-Mars endeavors.”
The project will be led by a QUT consortium with the Australian government contributing AUS$199,500 through the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars Demonstrator Feasibility Grants.
QUT Centre for Robotics Director Distinguished Professor Peter Corke “this is a great project with great partners. It takes our Amazon Robotic Challenge winning robotic grasping technology, and our cloud-based robot control software, to create an assistive robot that could work on a space station.“ The prototype logistics robot would be controlled from Earth.