Wire · technology
Caltech's ASTRA robot builds part of an antenna frame in orbit
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Fusion42 · 13 November 2026 · Fusion42 review
Caltech's ASTRA robot has successfully assembled a section of an antenna frame autonomously in low Earth orbit, demonstrating a new method for building large space structures that cannot be launched fully built. Funded by DARPA and launched on Momentus' spacecraft, the robot joins composite rods with metal joints and deploys reflective material, with ongoing work remotely controlled by engineers on Earth.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Government & Space.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
Autonomous assembly in orbit moves beyond proof of concept into operational demonstrations. You in space infrastructure or satellite design can now plan for larger, more complex structures assembled by robots rather than limited by launch size constraints.
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1 source · 13 Nov 2026
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