Astrobee, robot flying around the International Space Station, NASA, Washington, D.C., USA

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Developer - NASA

NASA Ames Research Center

nasa.gov/astrobee

Astrobee on Wikipedia

 

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Robot Arm Architecture Challenge

"NASA wants public to create robotic arm for its ISS flying robot"

January 19, 2016

 

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Astrobee: NASA's newest robot for the International Space Station

Published on Mar 27, 2017

The International Space Station will soon be getting some new robot occupants: Astrobee is a robotic cube packed with sensors, cameras, computers, and a propulsion system. It’s designed to help astronauts around the ISS with a variety of tasks.

 

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This self-flying robot will help astronauts in space

Published on Jul 3, 2018

Astrobee is the next generation of the Spheres system, which has been in operation on the International Space Station for a decade. This new droid will be more versatile and self-sufficient than the current floating robots and will work for hours at a time without human help.

 

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Space to Ground: Busy as Astrobees

Published on Feb 15, 2019

NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station.

 

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Astrobee robots will be sent to the International Space Station

Published on Apr 5, 2019

The robots were built and developed at NASA's Ames Research Center in California, where engineers created a mock-up of the interior of the International Space Station.

 

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NASA's new flying robots will be busy bees

Published on Apr 17, 2019

Astrobee is a free-flying robot system for the International Space Station. Designed and built at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, the system will be used to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies for use in zero-gravity. These robots are designed to assist astronauts in Earth’s orbit and support sustained human exploration to the Moon, Mars or other deep space destinations.

 

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Astronaut Chris Cassidy meets Astrobee

May 13, 2020

It turns out that astronauts could use some help with their chores, just like many of us on Earth. Astrobee, a free-flying robotic system developed by researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center, will help astronauts reduce time they spend on routine duties, leaving them to focus more on the things that only humans can do. Current International Space Station Commander Chris Cassidy gives us a sneak peek into his workday with his “crewmates” - three robots named Honey, Queen and Bumble.

 

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Astrobee, free-flying cube robot system for the International Space Station - Resource Reel (B-Roll)

Jun 19, 2020

* Astrobee team building hardware at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley.
* Acoustic testing of a robot at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
* Astronaut installing Astrobee’s dock unit on the station.
* Animation of Astrobee robots as they will appear on the station.

Astrobee is a free-flying robot system for the International Space Station. The system will be used to help researchers test technologies in zero-gravity. These robots can assist astronauts, perform routine chores on the station and operate either in automated mode or under remote control.

 

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Vice President Kamala Harris calls NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins

Mar 24, 2021

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris placed a special phone call to Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins aboard the International Space Station to find out what it's like to do science in space.

During the month of March, NASA celebrates and pays tribute to the many women who have played an essential role in shaping the history of the agency.

 

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Astrobee robots in 360°

Jan 9, 2022

Join ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer inside Kibo, the Japanese laboratory module of the International Space Station in 360°, setting up Astrobee robotic free-flyers for the ReSWARM experiment. Short for RElative Satellite sWArming and Robotic Maneuvering, this robotics demonstration tests autonomous microgravity motion planning and control for on-orbit assembly and coordinated motion.
This investigation aims to test coordination between multiple robots, robots and cargo, and robots and their operating environment as developers envision the future of autonomous robot operations in space.
Matthias was launched to the International Space Station on Crew Dragon Endurance as part of Crew-3 at 02:03 GMT/03:03 CET Thursday 11 November 2021. His ESA mission on board is known as Cosmic Kiss and will see him live and work for approximately six months in orbit.

 

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Autonomy in Orbit: The APIARY Project

Sep 9, 2025

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in collaboration with NASA, is advancing space robotics by deploying reinforcement learning algorithms onto Astrobee, a free-flying robotic assistant on board the International space station. This video highlights how NRL researchers are leveraging artificial intelligence to enable robots to learn, adapt, and perform tasks autonomously. By integrating reinforcement learning, Astrobee can improve maneuverability and optimize energy use. This is the foundation for the future of robotics. Learn how this cutting-edge research is shaping the future of human–machine teaming in orbital environments and paving the way for next-generation robotic systems to support long-duration missions, from sea floor to outer space.

 

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Article "AI takes control in space for the first time, helps ISS robot move 60% faster"
The system marks the first demonstration of machine-learning-based control in orbit.

by Aamir Khollam
December 8, 2025