Thomas Unise
Motiv Space Systems and PickNik Robotics have formed a strategic partnership to develop software for NASA’s Fly Foundational Robotics (FFR) mission, aimed at enhancing on-orbit robotic manipulation capabilities and supporting NASA’s In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) objectives.
Key Partnership Details
Under this contractual agreement, Motiv will develop a system demonstrating autonomous and ground-supervised manipulation tasks in low Earth orbit. PickNik Robotics will contribute motion control software based on its MoveIt Pro platform to support mission planning, simulation, and execution within spaceflight operational constraints.
Chris Thayer, CEO of Motiv Space Systems, emphasized the importance of the FFR mission as “a critical step toward demonstrating state-of-the-art flight robotic manipulation capabilities” that can enable a sustainable ISAM economy.
Technical Implementation
The mission will utilize Space ROS, a specialized version of the Robot Operating System developed by the Open Source Robotics Foundation with significant contributions from PickNik and NASA. This framework will provide the foundation for the robotic control systems deployed in space.
PickNik’s responsibilities include supporting integration activities between Motiv and Astro Digital (the hosted orbital platform provider), delivering flight runtime configuration for the mission compute environment, and providing a ground-based operator terminal powered by MoveIt Pro.
Mission Objectives and Capabilities
The software tools developed will enable the mission team to evaluate robotic behaviors through simulation, digital twin analysis, and operational review both before launch and during on-orbit execution. Additional collaboration areas include behavior execution, system monitoring interfaces, and operational tooling designed for long-duration operations with intermittent communications.
Dave Coleman, founder and chief product officer of PickNik Robotics, described FFR as “an exciting opportunity to apply MoveIt Pro’s commercially available motion-planning software to the unique challenges of on-orbit operations.”
Building on Previous Space Experience
Both companies bring relevant space experience to the project. PickNik previously partnered with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on the International Space Station’s Payload Organization and Transportation Robotic System (PORTRS) initiative. This project aimed to demonstrate complex robotic manipulation tasks in microgravity.
Motiv has collaborated with NASA on developing the Cold Operable Lunar Deployable Arm (COLDArm) system, which can function in temperatures as low as -280°F without requiring an internal heating system—a significant energy efficiency improvement for space missions.
Future Impact
NASA expects the FFR mission to provide valuable operational experience and lessons that will inform future robotic missions and capabilities in space. The technologies developed through this partnership have the potential to significantly advance autonomous space operations and contribute to NASA’s broader goals for in-space manufacturing and assembly.
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