Advances, Opportunities and Challenges in Remote Sample Handling for Astromaterial Curation and Research

Astromaterials provide crucial insights into the history and formation of the solar system. Within the efforts to develop new curation tools and techniques for astromaterials at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, manually and electronically controlled micromanipulation systems show potential. Robotic arms for micromanipulation present a promising solution to enhance the curation process, offering precision and efficiency. Astromaterials Curation Robotics has identified potential opportunities, and challenges associated with the use of controlled micromanipulation robotic arms in the curation of astromaterials, particularly in controlled environments such as glove boxes, highlighting how robotic arms can improve efficiency and safety in sample handling while addressing specific challenges that arise in this new and specialized field.