Rice and NASA launch world’s first open-source remote space robotics simulator

NASA Johnson Space Center and Rice University have introduced the iMETRO Dynamic Simulation, the first open-source platform designed for developing robots for space vehicles and habitats. Unveiled at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, the tool functions as a high-fidelity digital twin of NASA’s physical iMETRO test bed. This development is significant for the robotics sector as it democratizes access to space robotics research, allowing the global community to validate solutions for low- and zero-gravity environments without needing physical access to NASA facilities.

The iMETRO Dynamic Simulation platform was developed through a collaboration between NASA Johnson’s Dexterous Robotics team, led by Shaun Azimi, and researchers from Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. The project aims to address a critical bottleneck in long-duration spaceflight: the fact that astronauts currently spend approximately one-third of their time on routine maintenance tasks like hauling trash and cargo. By creating a high-fidelity digital twin of the physical iMETRO facility, which contains full-scale mockups of future space vehicles and lunar habitats, the team provides a virtual testbed for developing robots capable of automating these routine chores.

Technical development of the simulation was spearheaded by Nikki Hart, a Rice doctoral student and NASA intern, alongside Professor Lydia Kavraki. The software allows researchers to simulate complex manipulation challenges unique to low- and zero-gravity environments, which have historically lacked accessible, open-source modeling tools. During the validation phase presented at ICRA 2026, the team demonstrated the platform's efficiency by developing a new robotic application in the simulation and successfully deploying it to the physical hardware at NASA Johnson in less than 24 hours.

The launch of this open-source framework marks a major shift in space robotics research by lowering the barrier to entry for the global robotics community. Previously, testing robotic software against specific hardware configurations and operational paradigms required proximity to specialized facilities. Now, the iMETRO Dynamic Simulation enables remote researchers to create, test, and validate robotic software that integrates with NASA’s physical test bed. This democratization is expected to accelerate the development of intravehicular space robotics, ultimately freeing up astronaut time for primary scientific and exploration missions.