PickNik Successfully Demonstrates Autonomous Resident Space Object Capture in Microgravity Testbed for Space Force

Boulder, CO — PickNik Robotics, a leader in advanced robotic manipulation software, has successfully demonstrated a complete autonomous capture system for Resident Space Objects (RSOs) for the United States Space Force (USSF), marking a major milestone in orbital servicing technology. Conducted at a frictionless floor test facility, the demonstration validated the company’s software and hardware solution built on its flagship product, MoveIt Pro, in a realistic microgravity-analog environment.

The test focused on addressing the “last meter” challenges of Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) missions. Using space-rated hardware—including the 7-DoF Motiv xLink robotic arm and Orbit Fab’s RAFTI grapple fixture—PickNik’s system autonomously detected, tracked, and grappled a moving target object under a variety of motion conditions. This effort was performed under a Direct to Phase II for the USSF to meet their Tactically Responsive Space goals.

At the core of the system is MoveIt Pro, a robotics runtime application and developer platform with a high fidelity simulator. The perception system combined stereo vision and AprilTag fiducials with a state estimation framework for accurate target tracking, while advanced control strategies—including a feedforward Cartesian velocity controller—enabled real-time alignment and grasping. These components produced reliable autonomous tracking and capture of the target craft, even at speeds up to 7 cm/s and angular velocities of 0.06 rad/s. All components were validated using a digital twin model and confirmed through real-world testing within just five days of hardware delivery—a testament to the simulation-driven, hardware-agnostic approach.

“This test not only validated our system’s ability to autonomously capture RSOs, but it also showcased how fast we can go from simulation to successful real-world deployment,” said Ezra Brooks, head of software engineering at PickNik. “We’ve proven that high-risk space operations can be de-risked and accelerated using intelligent, flexible robotics software.”

The capabilities proven in this test are immediately available to customers in MoveIt Pro as well as PickNik’s product targeted for safety-critical space missions, Certifiable Control Modules. Built upon the foundation of MoveIt Pro, Certifiable Control Modules provide real-time, deterministic C++ libraries for robotic arm control, including advanced motion controllers, inverse kinematics solvers, and a real-time collision checker. Designed for space-rated onboard computers and compliant with standards such as MISRA C++ and DO-178C, these modules support rigorous verification and validation requirements for flight software.

About PickNik Robotics

PickNik Robotics helps companies bring their robotics vision to life—from ideation through to production. As experts in unstructured robotics, PickNik enables organizations to develop, validate, and deploy advanced robotic solutions more quickly and with less risk. The team’s mission is to make robotic automation accessible and impactful for every industry.

About MoveIt Pro

MoveIt Pro is PickNik Robotics’ commercial robotics software platform that extends the capabilities of the open-source MoveIt project. Designed for unstructured environments, MoveIt Pro provides powerful tools for motion planning, grasping, perception, and behavior sequencing. With pre-built robot behaviors and a modular runtime architecture, MoveIt Pro significantly reduces engineering effort and time-to-deployment. Its hardware-agnostic design supports a wide range of commercial and custom robotic arms, making it ideal for scalable automation across space, manufacturing, and logistics sectors.

For more information, please contact:

Nashley Banister
Chief of Staff
nashley.banister@picknik.ai
+1-720-513-2221