NASA Ames Researchers Reveal Self-assembling Robotic Architecture for Space Exploration
Researchers at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center have advanced a self-assembling robotic system that could transform how humanity explores distant worlds. The work was published on Space Agency, the official NASA gazette, and draws attention for its potential to enable rapid, autonomous construction in space environments.
The technology, named Automated Reconfigurable Mission Adaptive Digital Assembly Systems ARMDAS, uses modular octagonal units called voxels to build two distinct robot types. One robot acts as a mobile worker, carrying voxels across the build site, while a second, wormlike device slides along the growing structure, stabilizing and connecting components. This duo allows for both movement and assembly to occur within a single, coordinated system, reducing the need for constant human supervision in harsh or remote settings.
Voxel geometry is designed to support mounting from multiple angles, preserving the rigidity and resilience of the final structure even as configurations change. Engineers project that voxels can be fabricated in situ from resources found on the Moon and other celestial bodies, opening the possibility of resource-efficient construction without frequent Earth-based deliveries.
In the experimental phase, the automated system successfully erected a shelter using 256 voxels in roughly 4.2 days of continuous work. NASA officials note that if ARMDAS were deployed to the Moon a year before astronauts arrive, the system would have prepared a sequence of 12 similar shelters by the time crews land, providing valuable shelter options and infrastructure for early missions.
Current development efforts focus on power and energy management for the robots. The team is exploring autonomous charging at dedicated stations and even the potential for wireless energy transfer, which would further reduce field maintenance and extend operation windows in challenging environments.
This line of work follows NASA’s broader program to prepare spacefaring androids and autonomous systems for work in space, ensuring resilience and reliability in extraterrestrial habitats. The Ames researchers emphasize that autonomous construction and repair capabilities could play a key role in future outpost design, habitat maintenance, and exploration logistics across the solar system. The ARMDAS concept demonstrates how modular robotics, in combination with in situ resource utilization, could accelerate the establishment of sustainable habitats on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.