NASA’s Humanoid robot “Valkyrie”: heads to be tested in Australia

Space exploration has captured the imagination of humanity for centuries. From the first manned missions to the Moon to the exploration of Mars, our fascination with the cosmos continues to drive us forward. Now, the integration of AI robots into space exploration will open up new possibilities and avenues for discovery.

NASA’s developed the Valkyrie robot

NASA intends to employ a Valkyrie robot to develop remote mobile dexterous manipulation skills as part of a reimbursable Space Act Agreement with Woodside Energy in Perth, Western Australia, to enable remote caretaking of uncrewed and offshore energy assets. Half a world distant from its base of operations at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, the Valkyrie robot is starting a new mission. By putting the finished program to the test and giving NASA data and input, Woodside Energy will hasten the development of robotic technology.

On the surface of the moon and Mars, remotely controlled mobile robots may allow Earth-based operators to carry out crucial tasks even when humans are not there. In order to enable astronauts to live off the Earth, these operations include the inspection and maintenance of infrastructure and factories that use resources and materials to create new things. The testing conducted by Woodside will also give NASA engineers important information on the usage of sophisticated robotics in related terrestrial applications.

“We are pleased to be starting the next phase of development and testing of advanced robotic systems that have the potential to positively impact life on Earth by allowing safer operations in hazardous environments,” says Shaun Azimii, leader of the dexterous robotics team at NASA Johnson.

Nasa website

And in accordance with a Thursday press statement from NASA.

To help NASA develop remote mobile dexterous manipulation skills to support remote maintenance of uncrewed and offshore energy installations, Woodside Energy will test the machine’s software and offer data and input.

Advanced mobile robots like Valkyrie can be valuable tools in allowing humans to remotely monitor dangerous labour and offload dull and repetitive duties, allowing humans to focus on higher-level tasks such as robot deployment and maintenance. These principles apply to both space and Earth, where companies are recognizing the value of human-scale robots.