This week / 2026-W02

new that week.

Jan 5 – Jan 11, 2026 · 30 papers published

19 robotics6 AI5 both

PLANETARY ROBOTICS 7 ISRU & CONSTRUCTION 3 ORBITAL ROBOTICS 13 IN-SPACE SERVICING 12 PROGRAMS & POLICY 1

Assembling Solar Panels by Dual Robot Arms Towards Full Autonomous Lunar Base Construction

Luca Nunziante, Kentaro Uno, Gustavo H. Diaz, Shreya Santra +2 moreSII 2025 7 citedJan 9, 2026

Space × RoboticsISRU & CONSTRUCTION ORBITAL ROBOTICS Manipulation & Grasping Perception & State Estimation

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Jan 9, 2026

Space debris material sourcing for in-space manufacturing: a quantitative evaluation framework

Madeline Grace Lenkart, Stephan R. BillerFront. Space Technol. 2026 2 citedJan 9, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING

PDF DOI

Jan 9, 2026

Design and Development of Modular Limbs for Reconfigurable Robots on the Moon

Gustavo H. Diaz, A. Sejal Jain, Matteo Brugnera, Elian Neppel +3 moreiSpaRo 2025Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING Design, Mechanisms & Hardware Surface Mobility & Terramechanics Multi-Robot & Swarms

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Jan 8, 2026

Data-Driven Terramechanics Approach Towards a Realistic Real-Time Simulator for Lunar Rovers

Jakob M. Kern, James M. Hurrell, Shreya Santra, Keisuke Takehana +2 moreiSpaRo 2025 1 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × Robotics × AIPLANETARY ROBOTICS Surface Mobility & Terramechanics Simulation, Digital Twins & Benchmarks Perception & State Estimation

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Jan 8, 2026

Conversational AI for Rapid Scientific Prototyping: A Case Study on ESA's ELOPE Competition

Nils EineckePreprint 2026 1 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × AIFoundation Models & LLMs Perception & State Estimation

PDF HTML arXiv

Jan 8, 2026

Safe Reinforcement Learning Beyond Baseline Control: A Hierarchical Framework for Space Triangle Tethered Formation System

Xinyi Tao, Panfeng Huang, Fan ZhangPreprint 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × AIGuidance, Dynamics & Control Learning-based Methods Surface Mobility & Terramechanics

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Jan 8, 2026

Scalable Dynamic Distributed Constraint Optimization with Metareasoning and Application to Continual Satellite Operations

Itai Zilberstein, Steve ChienAdaptive Agents and Multi-Agents Systems 2026 5 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × AI

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Jan 8, 2026

Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Swarm Planetary Exploration

Adrián Menor de Oñate, Erik-Jan Van KampenAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × Robotics × AIPLANETARY ROBOTICS Multi-Robot & Swarms Learning-based Methods Perception & State Estimation

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Guidance and Control of an Autonomous Snake Robot for Space Exploration

Oliullah Samir, Animesh ChakravarthyAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsSurface Mobility & Terramechanics Motion Planning & Navigation Design, Mechanisms & Hardware

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Energy-based MOR for Flexible Space Robotic Systems

Josue Luna, Roberto Robles, Erik Blasch, John J. Bird +1 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsManipulation & Grasping Guidance, Dynamics & Control Learning-based Methods

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Semantic Trajectory Generation for Goal-Oriented Spacecraft Rendezvous

Yuji Takubo, Arpit Dwivedi, Sukeerth Ramkumar, Luis A. Pabon +3 moreAIAA SciTech 2026 1 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsORBITAL ROBOTICS Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & Docking Guidance, Dynamics & Control Motion Planning & Navigation

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Passive Attitude Control of Dust Particles for Active Debris Removal

Ana Sofía Barona-Mejía, Joseph Ivarson, Davide GuzzettiAIAA SciTech 2026 1 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING ORBITAL ROBOTICS Guidance, Dynamics & Control

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Autonomous Spacecraft Health Management: Results From IM-2 Lunar Mission

Holly Bennett, Michael B. Rudolph, Johann M. Ph. Schumann, James Burns-Montante +1 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × AIAutonomy, Task Planning & Operations Guidance, Dynamics & Control CLPS Intuitive Machines

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Automated Satellite Servicing Engineering Toolkit (ASSET)

Joseph A. Colangelo, Sean McClure, David TanseyAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsORBITAL ROBOTICS IN-SPACE SERVICING Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & Docking Guidance, Dynamics & Control Manipulation & Grasping

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Design, Assembly, and Testing of Compliant Spring Tires for Lunar Rovers

Michael Lu, Travis L. Brown, William Reid, Arthur Bouton +1 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsPLANETARY ROBOTICS ISRU & CONSTRUCTION Surface Mobility & Terramechanics Design, Mechanisms & Hardware

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Advancing the SmallSat Digital Twin for Active Debris Removal Simulations

Scott Alan Zemerick, Mark Suder, Dominic K. Amato, David R. Martinelli +1 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING ORBITAL ROBOTICS Motion Planning & Navigation Simulation, Digital Twins & Benchmarks

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Reinforcement Learning for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations

Eric G. Chang, Kevin SchroederAIAA SciTech 2026 1 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × Robotics × AIORBITAL ROBOTICS Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & Docking Learning-based Methods Motion Planning & Navigation

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Lunar Tunnel Boring Machine (LTBM) - Lunar Habitation Excavation

Theodore C. Rockey, Claire Virnoche, Victoria Prendergast, Jonathan Curran +2 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsISRU & CONSTRUCTION PLANETARY ROBOTICS Surface Mobility & Terramechanics

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

A Physically Accurate Simulation Framework for Training and Validation of AI-Based Algorithms for Space Exploration

Ludovica Cavalieri, Fabio Valerio Buonomo, Simone Andolfo, Mohamed El Awag +2 moreAIAA SciTech 2026 1 citedJan 8, 2026

Space × Robotics × AIPLANETARY ROBOTICS Perception & State Estimation Simulation, Digital Twins & Benchmarks Autonomy, Task Planning & Operations

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Predefined-Time Singularity-Free Control With Hybrid Actuator Optimal Allocation for Autonomous Spacecraft Docking

T. Kiran Kumar, Sudhansu Sahu, Dipak Kumar GiriAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsORBITAL ROBOTICS IN-SPACE SERVICING Guidance, Dynamics & Control Design, Mechanisms & Hardware Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & Docking

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

WITHDRAWN: Developing a Multi-Agent AI Governance System for Behavioral Health (MAGSBH) in Space Exploration

Susan JewellAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × AIFoundation Models & LLMs Multi-Robot & Swarms

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

A Multi-Robot Experimental Platform for Emulating Autonomous On-Orbit Servicing

Bennett Russell, Nathan Wolfe, Geordan M. Gutow, Luis Rodolfo García Carrillo +2 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING ORBITAL ROBOTICS Guidance, Dynamics & Control Manipulation & Grasping Multi-Robot & Swarms

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Hybrid Hierarchical Swarm Robots for Planetary Exploration

Eeman Abid, Jose Castelblanco, Çağri KiliçAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsPLANETARY ROBOTICS Multi-Robot & Swarms Perception & State Estimation Design, Mechanisms & Hardware

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Development of an Androgynous Docking Connector for In-Space Assembly and Satellite Servicing

Kevin J. Okseniuk, Alexander W. Ribner, Michael Fraunberger, Reagan Mayo +1 moreAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING ORBITAL ROBOTICS Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & Docking

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Integration of On-Orbit Servicing into Constellation Maintenance with Spare Inventory Management

J. Kim, Taehyun Sung, Woonam Hwang, Jaemyung AhnAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING ORBITAL ROBOTICS

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Optimal Planning and Scheduling for Satellite Servicing Under Partial Observability

Susmitha Patnala, Vincent Mousseau, Adam AbdinAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × Robotics × AIORBITAL ROBOTICS IN-SPACE SERVICING Autonomy, Task Planning & Operations

DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Priority-Driven Task Allocation Framework for Robotic On-Orbit Servicing

Peter KöttingAIAA SciTech 2026Jan 8, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING ORBITAL ROBOTICS Manipulation & Grasping Multi-Robot & Swarms Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & Docking

PDF DOI

Jan 8, 2026

Autonomous Reasoning for Spacecraft Control: A Large Language Model Framework with Group Relative Policy Optimization

Amit Jain, Richard LinaresIEEE Aerospace 2026 6 citedJan 7, 2026

Space × AIORBITAL ROBOTICS Guidance, Dynamics & Control Learning-based Methods Foundation Models & LLMs

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Jan 7, 2026

Lunar Rover Cargo Transport: Mission Concept and Field Test

Alexander Krawciw, Nicolas Olmedo, Faizan Rehmatullah, Maxime Desjardins-Goulet +2 moreJFR / Field Robotics 2026 5 citedJan 6, 2026

Space × RoboticsPLANETARY ROBOTICS PROGRAMS & POLICY Perception & State Estimation Motion Planning & Navigation Surface Mobility & Terramechanics

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Jan 6, 2026

Programmable‐Stiffness Tensegrity Continuum Robot for Adaptive Multicurvature On‐Orbit Assembly

Yubin Wu, Yongliang Cao, Yi Jin, Ziyu Wang +2 moreAdvanced Intelligent Systems 2026 2 citedJan 6, 2026

Space × RoboticsIN-SPACE SERVICING Design, Mechanisms & Hardware Manipulation & Grasping

PDF DOI

Jan 6, 2026