Icarus Robotics has completed a four-flight parabolic test campaign for its free-flying robot, Joy. The tests involved 66 periods of weightlessness, providing 22 minutes of active testing in zero gravity. Due to the unavailability of domestic parabolic flight services in the US, the company conducted these trials in Canada.
The robot is scheduled for its first mission to the International Space Station in 2027, conducted in partnership with Voyager. Icarus Robotics plans to ship the hardware to NASA in January. Originally intended as a demonstration, the project has been upgraded to a full-fledged mission operator role due to industry demand.
During the year-long ISS mission, Joy will perform tasks such as rearranging cargo and conducting biological experiments. The company intends to use this mission to validate the robot's ability to operate as a platform for future orbital and planetary infrastructure, including logistics and debris removal.
