A robotic system has successfully built a structure in space for the first time without human assistance, OSEL.CZ reported on Nov. 5.
The California Institute of Technology built the ASTRA system for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program called NOM4D, which stands for Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design. The project aims to develop technologies for constructing large systems directly on orbit rather than launching them fully assembled from Earth.
Sergio Pellegrino led the demonstration project. The system used an autonomous manipulator to retrieve struts and connectors from nearby storage bins, assembling them piece by piece into repeating segments of a load-bearing framework.
The on-orbit test focused on assembling a reflector antenna measuring 1.4 meters in diameter. The structure utilized composite fiber tubes, aluminum joints, and a reflective surface made of Kapton material.
DARPA compared the autonomous assembly process to building structures with construction toys such as K’Nex or Tinkertoy. Creators of the ASTRA system faced complications during the operation and managed to build the initial portion of the antenna, confirming the feasibility of the construction method for larger structures.
The ASTRA team progressed through three phases of the NOM4D program, moving from initial concept and design methodology to laboratory testing before delivering the system to Momentus Inc. for launch within 12 months.
Researchers plan to use the technology to build large space-based infrastructure such as massive mirrors for space telescopes and wide radio antennas. Caltech detailed the milestone on Nov. 5.
