Caltech Robot Builds Structure in Space for First Time

PASADENA, Calif. -- Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have successfully tested a robot capable of assembling part of a structure in space, which they claim to be the first such accomplishment without the assistance of astronauts.

According to Caltech’s report, the Autonomous In-Space Tensioned Reflector Assembly (ASTRA) system has built a portion of an antenna-supporting structure in low Earth orbit.

The robot was created for assembling a 1.4-meter-diameter reflector antenna with the use of composite fiber tubes, aluminum joints and reflective film. But due to technical issues and limited time, the scientists managed to construct only the first portion of the intended structure.

The ASTRA system works with a robotic manipulator that retrieves tubes and joints from dispensers onboard and connects them into the repeating portions of the truss – a framework – and attaches the reflective material.

The payload was launched March 30 on SpaceX’s Transporter-16 mission, onboard of Vigoride 7 spacecraft of Momentus. It included two pre-assembled portions and the required elements for building the rest of the framework.

Commands were issued from Earth during the experiment and monitored by way of photographs taken in space. The robot built another section, while the team studied and solved any issues using a duplicate system in their lab.

The experiment has been sponsored by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through its NOM4D program. It seeks to create techniques that would be used to build large objects in space.

This technology may one day allow robots to build antennas, telescope mirrors, and solar panels too big to be launched in rockets.

The antenna will have 11 sections in total, and Caltech doubts they will be able to build the entire object before the experiment ends in December. However, the demonstration proves that it can be done.