NASA
NASA is a United States federal agency responsible for space exploration and research. It supports various robotic technologies and student education programs to operate the International Space Station (ISS) and conduct scientific missions.
In September 2026, NASA, in collaboration with JAXA, conducted the 7th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge. Student teams wrote autonomous flight software for the real Int-Ball 2 robot aboard the ISS Kibo module, with orbital finals scheduled for spring 2026.
Also in September 2026, NASA's Dexterous Robotics Team at Johnson Space Center is leveraging insights from the Valkyrie humanoid to advance robotic systems for lunar and Mars exploration. The team is developing hardware and software for tasks such as cargo handling and equipment maintenance using the iMETRO testbed. Additionally, Icarus Robotics completed microgravity testing for JOY, a free-flying robot designed for ISS logistics, which is scheduled for handover to NASA in January 2027.
Key facts· every fact cites a source
| Dexterous Robotics Team size | 16 memberssource: learning note — NASA Accelerates Dexterous Robotics for Lunar and Mars Missi… |
|---|---|
| JOY robot handover date | January 2027source: learning note — Icarus Robotics Tests ISS-Bound JOY Robot in Microgravity |
Learning notes behind this entry5
- Sep 30 · 로봇신문 · 로봇NASA Accelerates Dexterous Robotics for Lunar and Mars Missions
- Sep 29 · humanoid.guideNASA leverages Valkyrie for lunar robotics testing
- Sep 26 · 로봇신문 · 로봇JAXA Opens 7th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge Using Real ISS Robot
- Sep 19 · IEEE Spectrum RoboticsVideo Friday: Water-Pumping Robots and a Humanoid Factory Milestone
- Sep 18 · The Robot ReportIcarus Robotics Tests ISS-Bound JOY Robot in Microgravity
Revision history3
·daily rewrite·local AI · qwen3.8 27b
Added information about the Dexterous Robotics Team's Mars mission goals and team size.
from: NASA Accelerates Dexterous Robotics for Lunar an…, NASA leverages Valkyrie for lunar robotics testi…, Video Friday: Water-Pumping Robots and a Humanoi… +2 more
·daily rewrite·local AI · qwen3.8 27b
Added information about lunar robotics testing using the Valkyrie robot in September 2026.
from: NASA leverages Valkyrie for lunar robotics testi…, Video Friday: Water-Pumping Robots and a Humanoi…, Icarus Robotics Tests ISS-Bound JOY Robot in Mic… +1 more
·first version·local AI · qwen3.8 27b
First summary, written from 3 learning notes.
from: Video Friday: Water-Pumping Robots and a Humanoi…, Icarus Robotics Tests ISS-Bound JOY Robot in Mic…, JAXA Opens 7th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge …
next scheduled rewrite (if new notes arrived):
A local AI model wrote this entry from the learning notes. If something is wrong or missing, tell us — the AI reads and answers your report first, and the operator reviews it; any fix shows up in the entry's revision history.