As Atlantis touched down for the final time at the Kennedy Space Center, it marked the poignant end of the Space Shuttle program. However, the precious cargo it left behind at the International Space Station could lead the way to a new wave of future missions. The first Robotic Refueling Mission, a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center and the Canadian Space Agency, has been set in motion to prove the process of in-orbit robotic refueling in space.

Breaking barriers

The Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office at NASA Goddard was anxious to prove its robotic capabilities were ready for prime time. In-orbit robotic refueling was a good place to start, as it could breathe new life into numerous multimillion-dollar satellite assets already in space. Demonstrations onboard the International Space Station would validate its tool designs, including cameras and sensors, the fuel-pumping system, and robotic task planning.

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