MIT Robotic Space Arms

These robotic arms can help astronauts get back up after falling down

A prototype of the robotic arms. Image provided by MIT

During the Apollo space missions, astronauts fell more than they would have liked. According to CNN, astronauts who moonwalked fell 27 times and had 21 near misses. For the next human mission to the Moon, the Artemis mission,  MIT may have a solution to solve this problem: robotic arm extensions from a backpack.

Astronaut Charlie Duke falling down. GIF adapted from a video by CNN

How the Arms Will Work

According to MIT, this system, dubbed the “Supernumerary Robotic Limbs (SuperLimbs)”, is designed to extend an astronaut’s backpack. This would carry the astronaut’s life support system with the controller and motors for the robotic limbs

80% of the falls during the Apollo mission were during excavation or a job with a tool. Since this project is for the new Artemis mission, which will focus on construction and excavation, the risk of falling is much higher. The SuperLimbs could make it easier for these astronauts to stand up again without using much of their energy.

Advantages

Although astronauts are very capable, they can struggle on the Moon. Gravity on the Moon is one-sixth that of Earth, but the inertia is the same, according to MIT. The suits are also a significant burden, constricting their movements. This is why astronauts fall and have difficulty standing upright again. These robot arms would potentially make it easier to get up.

Additionally, one dangerous effect of falling is the moon dust. According to CNN, moon dust is super toxic, meaning it can be harmful for astronauts when they roll around the lunar surface as they struggle to get up. The SuperLimbs could eliminate this problem.

Future Purpose

The Artemis mission will be much longer, as astronauts will live at least a week on the moon – compared to the few hours of the Apollo mission. These arms might assist these astronauts during their stay. The next plan is to create robotic limbs that function as extra legs, stabilizing them when they lose their footing and walking much more quickly without using too much energy. The goal is to create these robotic limbs so that they become a natural extension of the astronaut’s bodies, becoming the new normal.

The SuperLimbs is still a prototype. However, in a few years, they could potentially be made faster, lighter, and feel more natural to the human body than just an extension.