Orbit Robotics debuts Helios, four-armed robot for space stations

Orbit Robotics, a Swiss startup founded in late 2025, introduced Helios on May 20, 2026. The machine is a legless, four-armed humanoid robot built to work inside orbital habitats and perform maintenance, cargo transfers and other routine tasks that occupy crew time and are valued at roughly $140,000 per hour of astronaut labor.

Helios is designed to move hand-over-hand in microgravity. It can clamp to rails and bulkheads to steady itself while freeing other limbs to handle tools or payloads. The robot can run pre-programmed autonomous routines or accept remote control from ground teams or nearby operators for more complex procedures.

The robot measures about 160 cm tall and weighs roughly 32 kg. It provides 28 degrees of freedom, including 14 degrees in its hands for fine manipulation. Its structure combines aluminum alloy and carbon fiber. Electric actuators use tendon-based transmissions that keep motors close to the shoulders, reducing the moving mass in the arms.

Orbit Robotics lists the runtime at about three hours per battery charge. Helios can move through a station interior at up to about 2 km/h while clamped to structure. The four-arm layout lets two limbs secure the robot while two perform tasks, which limits movement during precise operations and allows simultaneous handling and tool use.

The company presented Helios in a public video and positions the robot for operators of commercial stations and servicing missions as the International Space Station nears retirement and new platforms become operational. Orbit Robotics emphasizes routines crews perform inside modules-inspections, cargo stowage and equipment swaps-as primary use cases for Helios.