Space Robotics

Space robotics focuses on developing robots capable of performing complex tasks in the harsh and unpredictable environments of space, primarily for exploration, construction, and debris removal. Current research emphasizes improving robot autonomy through advancements in perception (e.g., 3D Gaussian splatting for object reconstruction and tracking), motion planning (e.g., whole-body trajectory optimization for mobile manipulators), and machine learning (e.g., adapting large language models for spatial reasoning and using procedural generation for robust assembly learning). These efforts are crucial for enabling more ambitious space missions, advancing scientific discovery, and addressing the growing problem of space debris.