NASA's Johnson Space Center advances human-robot teamwork for lunar and Mars missions

The Dexterous Robotics Team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, under the direction of Shaun Azimi, focuses on building trustworthy robots capable of performing dexterous tasks alongside human explorers. Drawing on legacy projects like Robonaut 2 and Valkyrie, the 16-member group integrates mechatronics and software expertise to support lunar outpost concepts and future Mars missions. A key asset is the iMETRO facility, which offers both digital simulations and physical mock-ups for testing robotic hardware and software in realistic space-habitat settings. iMETRO has already enabled collaborations with industry partners, such as PickNik Inc., which used the testbed to program a robotic arm to open a spacecraft hatch and move cargo. The team’s efforts aim to reduce risk for astronauts while enhancing mission capabilities, and they are also involved in a public challenge to generate new ideas for Mars exploration technologies.