Honda, Redwire Pair Robotic Hand and Arm for Space Station Research

Honda announced on October 1, 2026, that its U.S.-based space development team is engaging with Redwire to develop a robotics solution for future commercial space stations, pairing the Honda multi-fingered robotic hand with Redwire’s STAARK robotic arm and experiment locker technology for research operations in orbit. Honda says the solution aims to increase research capacity while reducing the crew time astronauts spend on experiments and laboratory tasks.

The announcement, issued from Torrance, California, frames the concept around NASA’s transition from the International Space Station to commercially operated stations in low Earth orbit. According to Honda, station developers are evaluating how research and routine laboratory activities will be performed in this new operating environment, and future commercial stations are being designed around smaller crews and shorter astronaut stays. Those conditions, the company says, increase the need for automation that supports station operations and scientific investigations while reducing demands on crew time.

Many research activities conducted in orbit require astronauts to retrieve experiments, transfer samples, operate laboratory equipment, and move materials between workstations. The release describes these routine tasks as consuming valuable crew time aboard crewed space stations and states that a robotic system performing them could help reduce operational costs while enabling greater use of research facilities and supporting more scientific and commercial research.

Honda’s Multi-Fingered Robotic Hand

Honda says it has advanced robotics technologies capable of performing tasks that require human-like dexterity over decades of development and is exploring their application to future space operations. The multi-fingered robotic hand combines actively controlled joints with force and tactile sensing throughout the fingertips and palm, enabling precise contact detection and delicate manipulation, a design Honda describes as flexible enough for precise laboratory work that includes handling research samples, manipulating small objects, and operating laboratory equipment. The company states the hand has completed extensive durability testing under varied fingertip loads.

Specifications published on Honda’s R&D page list 16 actuated joints with finger-thumb opposability and a maximum continuous joint velocity of 180 degrees per second. Honda reports a maximum fingertip force of 50 newtons that can be sustained for up to 150 seconds, and says the hand has completed more than 450,000 durability test cycles under various fingertip load conditions, including 24,000 cycles involving lifting a 5-kilogram weight. According to the page, the system can detect a finger striking an obstacle at 1.23 meters per second and switch control mode to absorb the force. Each fingertip carries a six-axis force sensor, and a total of 288 tactile sensor channels are integrated into the fingers and palm. Honda’s published demonstrations include threading a needle, precisely tightening a small screw, rotational bolt manipulation, and cutting with scissors.

Tom Sladek, chief engineer of the Space Development Division at Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, said Honda’s space initiatives, including the robotic hand, are focused on enabling practical operations in orbit. He said that, working with Redwire, Honda is evaluating how robotics with human-like dexterity could support research activities aboard the next generation of commercial space stations, helping crews accomplish more in an environment with fewer personnel while improving operational efficiency.

Redwire’s STAARK Arm and Station Experience

Redwire, a space and defense technology company, operates eight facilities on the ISS and has decades of experience developing ISS facilities hardware and operating science and technology experiments, according to the announcement. The announcement describes STAARK as an affordable, modular, and easily customized robotic system designed for various on-orbit robotics applications, and states that testing has successfully demonstrated the arm’s ability to autonomously track and grasp dynamic objects, providing the reach and positioning capability needed to move equipment and access work throughout a station.

Honda and Redwire say the combined technologies could support the full experiment workflow, pairing Redwire’s robotic reach and station infrastructure with the Honda hand’s precise manipulation and adaptable grasping across a wide range of objects and tasks. Such a system, they say, has the potential to automate portions of the research workflow, from sample handling and materials transfer to equipment operation and laboratory support. Additional applications may include inventory management, cargo movement, inspection activities, and other station support functions.

Shawn Buckley, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Redwire Space, said Redwire is excited to explore opportunities with Honda that draw on its track record in robotics and in-space manufacturing technology development to advance the next generation of commercial research in orbit. He described commercial space stations as transformative for low Earth orbit and advanced space robotics as critical enabling technologies.

Next Steps at IAC 2026

Representatives of Honda and Redwire will attend the International Astronautical Congress, October 5–9, 2026, in Antalya, Türkiye, to discuss potential applications for the combined robotics solution with commercial station developers and prospective industry partners. Organizations interested in learning more about the concept or scheduling a meeting at the congress may contact Space@na.honda.com.

Redwire’s own newsroom posting confirms the company’s leadership and experts will attend the 77th edition of the congress, whose theme is “The World Needs More Space,” with executives participating in panel discussions on computing in orbit, geopolitics and innovation, microgravity research, planetary defense, and international cooperation. Listed Redwire panelists include Mike Gold, president of Redwire Space, and Al Tadros, chief technology officer of Redwire Space.