8 Weird Robots NASA Wants To Send To Space

NASA is developing a bunch of robots it wants to send to space. Some are humanoid like the RoboSimian and Robonaut 2. But other bots like the Ice Worm, Astrobee, and LEMUR are more abstract. Of course, there’s also the Mars 2020 Rover, which will be bringing along several smaller robots. NASA tests these robots in extreme conditions on Earth in order to prepare them for other planets and moons.

Spot Launch

Spot is an agile mobile robot that you can customize for a wide range of applications. The base platform provides rough-terrain mobility, 360 degree obstacle avoidance, and various levels of navigation, remote control and autonomy. You can customize Spot by adding specialized sensors, software and other payloads. Early customers are already testing Spot to monitor construction sites, provide remote inspection at gas, oil and power installations, and in public safety.  Spot is in mass production via Boston Dynamics and is currently shipping to select early adopters. 

Boston Dynamics Robots on the Move

They just keep getting better. It only takes 10 Spotpower (SP) to haul a truck across the Boston Dynamics parking lot (~1 degree uphill, truck in neutral). These Spot robots are coming off the production line now and will be available for a range of applications soon.