Honda and Redwire to develop robotic lab support system for space stations

Honda is teaming up with space infrastructure firm Redwire to develop an automated laboratory support system for future commercial space stations.

Redwire is providing a reaching and motion platform called the Space Technology Autonomous Agile Robotic Kit, or STAARK. It is designed to autonomously interact with and grab dynamic objects. Redwire manages eight operational science facilities on the International Space Station.

The system is aimed at routine tasks such as scanning barcodes for inventory management and swapping biological sample trays, which astronauts now handle themselves. NASA plans to deorbit the space station around 2030. Private operators including Axiom Space and Vast, and the Orbital Reef project, hope to launch stations of their own. Many of these will be smaller at first, with crews of two or four, and some will go long stretches without a crew aboard.

Sourceuniversetoday.com