Meet Taikobot: The humanoid robot set to help Chinese astronauts

Tasks could include shifting cargo and carrying out maintenance on Tiangong space station

Chinese researchers with a Taikobot prototype. Among its duties would be working alone as space station caretaker. Photo: Weibo

Astronauts on the Chinese space station could soon have a new colleague on board — a free-flying humanoid robot that will help them with their daily tasks.

A prototype of Taikobot, weighing 25 kgs and 1.7 metres tall, was assembled by Chinese researchers inside a mock-up of Tiangong, China's space station that was completed in December.

The experiment showed that the robot can help move cargo and maintain the station to improve working efficiency.

Zhang Qi, a professor at the National University of Defence Technology, in Changsha, in the central province of Hunan, helped lead the development of the humanoid.

He said it is designed to operate in space.

“Taikobot adopts a compact and lightweight design to work in microgravity, which also reduces launch costs and improves safety during human–robot collaboration,” Mr Qi said in a research paper on the robot published last year.

“Humanoid robots of such types are more like general purpose service robots. They can even accomplish a variety of tasks on planet surfaces where they must overcome gravity.”

Images of the assembled Taikobot went viral on Chinese social media platforms this week.

Multi-tasking crew member

The prototype is equipped with a dual-arm system that allows it to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

It was able to use a hammer and electric screwdriver with one hand and transport a large package with the other.

“Astronaut accompanying and work assistance are the major work of Taikobot, where it follows a crew member and provides immediate services such as photographing, tool delivery and co-operative operations,” the research paper said.

“When crew members are absent, Taikobot is expected to work alone and become a caretaker for the spacecraft.”

Taikobot is currently being tested by researchers before it is sent to Tiangong.

Not the first robot in space

It will not be the first humanoid robot launched into space.

Nasa's Robonaut-2 was the first humanoid in space when it was launched to the International Space Station in 2011.

It was tested by astronauts for the first three years it was there and was able to turn knobs and press buttons.

It was sent back to Earth in 2018 for repairs after it malfunctioned.

Even though Robonaut-2 was never fully operational, it helped show that humanoid robots can help create a more efficient working environment on a space station.

Russia's space agency Roscosmos launched the Skybot F-850 humanoid to the ISS in 2019.

It was tested by cosmonauts and was sent back to Earth only a few days later.

Nasa's Astrobee, Japan's Int-Ball, Canada's robotic arm Canadarm2 and the robotic arm on the Tiangong space station have been some of the most successful robotic operations in space.

The Int-Ball is a free-flying robotic camera that can move around the ISS to take images.

Robotic arms on space stations help astronauts with transportation and maintenance tasks.

Why send smart robots into space?

Robots can help take over easy tasks that allow human astronauts to focus on more complex assignments.

China's plans to build a lunar research station on the Moon, for example, involve the use of many robots.

Designs include a “hopping robot” and smart mini-rovers that would move around the surface of the Moon.

Nasa is also looking to have more robots in space that could work next to humans.

“Our challenge is to build machines that can help humans work and explore in space,” the space agency said.

“Working side by side with humans, or going where the risks are too great for people, Robonauts will expand our ability for construction and discovery.

“Central to that effort is a capability we call dexterous manipulation, embodied by an ability to use one's hand to do work, and our challenge has been to build machines with dexterity that exceeds that of a suited astronaut.”