On future lunar bases, unusual workers may appear: humanoid robots. NASA is teaching them to open hatches independently, carry cargo, and inspect and maintain equipment. The idea is for machines to take on the riskiest tasks, reducing danger for people.
NASA is now developing these technologies to prepare robots for work on the Moon and, in the future, on Mars.
The work is being carried out by a team of 16 specialists at the Johnson Space Center. The robots are being tested in conditions similar to those expected in space. Autonomy is especially important here: when working on Mars, a signal from Earth can take more than 20 minutes to arrive. That is why a robot must understand an overall command and carry out a chain of actions on its own. In the future, this approach could allow people and machines to work together in space as one team.
