Nanoracks, powered by Voyager Space, announced its second Bishop Airlock mission with GITAI, a Japanese space robotics startup. The project, marking the two companies’ second collaboration, will involve demonstrating “S2,” GITAI’s 1.5 meter-class dexterous robotic system, on the Bishop Airlock – the first permanent, commercial platform added to the International Space Station.
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In 2021, Nanoracks and GITAI successfully completed their first mission, demonstrating how leveraging the Bishop Airlock, a GITAI robot can execute versatile tasks such as In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) and help save valuable astronaut time by robotically handling necessary crew activities. The second mission will demonstrate an expansion of these capabilities. ISAM tasks will be demonstrated in an externally hosted site on the Bishop Airlock and are intended to showcase GITAI’s capability of providing extravehicular robotic systems that are durable in a space environment. This mission will utilize a full open-close cycle of the Bishop Airlock
“This mission is a key stepping-stone towards commercialization of LEO enabling both government and private sectors to obtain robust and high-performance robotics in space,” said Dr. Amela Wilson, CEO of Nanoracks. “We look forward to completing a successful demonstration of GITAI’s space robotics technology.”
Notably, GITAI’s latest technical demonstration will be key in exhibiting how commercial activities could be conducted on Starlab, Nanoracks’ and Voyager’s planned continuously crewed, free-flying commercial space station, for payloads and other potentially needed maintenance.
“Missions like this allow the Nanoracks team to test and execute on space station operations that will be critical for customer success on Starlab,” continues Wilson. “The International Space Station is a testbed that continues to provide unparalleled opportunities for Nanoracks to master executing in-space activities, and we’re grateful for NASA’s continued support on the ISS today, and for the onboarding of new commercial space stations.”