NASA Johnson Space Center and Rice University unveiled the iMETRO Dynamic Simulation at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Vienna. The platform is described as the world’s first open-source dynamic simulation environment for developing robots used in space vehicles and indoor space habitats.

The digital-twin simulator allows researchers around the world to develop and test robotic software remotely. Nikki Hart, a Rice doctoral student and NASA Pathways intern who worked on the project, noted the efficiency gains: the team “had it fully operational in less than a day” after transferring an application from simulation to NASA’s physical facility.

Astronauts currently dedicate roughly one-third of spaceflight time to routine maintenance. The simulator is meant to speed development of robots that can take on those tasks, freeing astronauts for primary science objectives.

The research team includes Nathan Dunkelberger, Erik Holum, Emma Zemler, and Shaun Azimi at NASA, along with Nikki Hart and University Professor Lydia Kavraki at Rice.

Article Title: The iMETRO Dynamic Simulation: An Open-Source Simulator for Intravehicular Space Robotics Research
Publication Date: July 6, 2026

Source: Rice University

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