Robotics and Support

Unlocking the true promise of space

A New Era in Space Operations

As humanity expands its reach within and across space, the ability to robotically assemble, service and manufacture assets in space will be essential for safety and sustainability.
 

For more than two decades, Maxar robotics have empowered innovative commercial and government programs, including robotic arms on six of NASA’s Mars rovers and landers, which rely on Maxar robotic arms to dig, drill, sample and explore the Martian surface.

A New Era in Space Operations

As humanity expands its reach within and across space, the ability to robotically assemble, service and manufacture assets in space will be essential for safety and sustainability.
 

For more than two decades, Maxar robotics have empowered innovative commercial and government programs, including robotic arms on six of NASA’s Mars rovers and landers, which rely on Maxar robotic arms to dig, drill, sample and explore the Martian surface.

Video: SPIDER demonstration at Maxar’s Pasadena Facility, November 2022.

On-orbit satellite assembly

Spider

In partnership with NASA, our Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER) program will demo on-orbit assembly and reconfiguration services of spacecraft components. This will reduce the need to launch fully-assembled systems and enable deployment of larger, more powerful components for advanced operations.

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On-orbit satellite servicing

OSAM-1

Maxar is building the spacecraft bus and robotic arms for NASA’s OSAM-1 program, which will refuel and relocate a satellite on-orbit. Adaptable and resilient, the robotic arms are designed to capture, manipulate and refuel satellites that were not originally designed for servicing.

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In-space transportation

Power and propulsion element

The first component for the NASA-led Gateway, a lunar orbiting module, will be the Maxar-built Power and Propulsion Element. This element will power the Gateway, maintain its position, and enable critical communications, which will support human missions on the moon and to Mars in the future.

Maxar is designing the Power Propulsion Element to host a variety of external interfaces for future docking, robotics and science payloads.

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Space exploration

SAMPLR

The first robotic arm to return to the moon in over 50 years will be Maxar’s SAMPLR, or Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering, and Probing of Lunar Regolith. It will be part of our payload for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send the first woman and next man to the moon by 2024.

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From vision to mission accomplished

Explore a selection of Maxar’s innovative Space Infrastructure capabilities and missions on Earth, the moon and Mars.

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