NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory· Feb 18, 2026
How Perseverance Learned to ‘Self-Locate’ on Mars
A NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory presenter explains how Perseverance determines its position on Mars and plans longer drives autonomously.
IEEE ARSO 2017 - Kim Hambuchen - NASA JSC Human-Robot Exploration
Kim Hambuchen of NASA Johnson Space Center discusses how human-robot teams could support future space exploration missions, with examples from NASA’s current operations and planned work toward the Moon and Mars.
In this talk
- 0:27
Why exploration needs new human-robot research
Hambuchen says NASA procedures and quick help from Ground Control work for the International Space Station, but will be harder to rely on as crews travel farther from Earth. Mars missions bring long communication delays and unfamiliar conditions, so research from Earth-based human-robot interaction may not transfer directly.
- 5:02
Current robots and future roles
On the ISS, Canadarm2 and Dextre handle tasks such as moving equipment and capturing cargo vehicles, with crew members manually controlling the arms. Mars rover teams plan work from returned data, but the surface is relatively stable between planning cycles. For future missions, Hambuchen focuses on caretaker robots that inspect and maintain spacecraft or habitats, and mobility robots that scout, move payloads, or support crew exploration.
- 16:06
Closing gaps in human-robot teamwork
NASA has identified a risk that poorly designed integration of people, automation, and robots could lead to errors, mission failures, and crew injuries. Hambuchen highlights gaps in understanding what information each teammate needs, how to assign tasks, and how to compose teams across Earth, spacecraft, and planetary surfaces. She also calls for design guidance for delayed communications and interfaces, useful measures of team performance, and clearer definitions of mission tasks.
- 25:29
What makes robots useful to crews
Hambuchen identifies trust, reliability, safety, usability, efficiency, robustness, and adaptability as factors that could shape crew acceptance. A robot that is slow, fragile, or inconsistent may be ignored even when procedures call for its use. She describes humanoid robots such as Valkyrie as potentially adaptable to crew environments, where they could maintain structures and free astronauts to focus on science.
- 30:30
Research paths and astronaut support
Hambuchen points researchers toward NASA solicitations, workshops, and technical interchange meetings as ways to help close the research gaps. In the discussion, she describes RoboGlove and possible suit exoskeletons as ways to reduce the effort of operating in pressurized suits. She frames robots as assistants that help astronauts do their work, rather than replacements for human explorers.
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