Fearless robot labourers headed to a space station near you 

A startup company that aims to develop general-purpose robots for space stations, the surface of the Moon and Mars has attracted the attention of Epson and its subsidiary, Epson X Investment Corporation, who will provide funding.

GITAI, based in Japan, aims to lessen the risk and burden on astronauts, and dramatically decrease the overall cost of transportation and training when it comes to space labour. It will also offer Raas (Robots as a Service).

The startup realised that with space development increasing, including resource development on the surface of the Moon, additional Mars exploration missions, and the commercialisation of the International Space Station (ISS), there would also be increased requirements for labour in space. That labour would be involved in the construction of new space stations and bases on the Moon and Mars, as well as the removal of debris.

Epson will investigate the applicability of a variety of GITAI’s core technologies, including to robotic solutions, will dispatch engineers to GITAI, and will actively promote open innovation through personnel exchanges.

GITAI’s robots will work inside and outside space stations. They will be involved in docking, lifespan-increasing efforts, repair work, and maintenance work for orbital services (increasing the lifespan of satellites and removing debris). They will also be used in exploration and base development on the Moon.

A technical demonstration of the capability of the robots to do general labour is scheduled to take place on the ISS in the northern summer this year. To learn more about the project, visit https://gitai.tech/

Epson X Investment Corporation is a Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) firm wholly owned by information equipment and precision instrument manufacturer Seiko Epson Corporation. It established the EP-GB Investment Limited Partnership with independent venture capital firm Global Brain Corporation, an independent venture capital firm specialising in CVC management, and participates in investment activities.