NASA is working on an "amphibious robot" that can fly, swim and roll to explore the space

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Science fiction comes alive in NASA's latest space-exploration robot, dubbed Shapeshifter, a "flying amphibious robot" that researchers hope will be able to roll, fly, float and swim in search of distant worlds.

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A team of researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is testing a 3D printed robot prototype in Pasadena, California, according to NASA.

NASA has described the robot as "a machine that looks like a drone wrapped in an elongated hamster wheel" that can roll and split in two, according to a statement. Once separated, "the two halves rise on small propellers, thus becoming flying drones for aerial exploration".

PHOTO: An illustration of the small robots that form Shapeshifter. Nicknamed cobots, they each have a propeller to fly and can combine to form a sphere, rolling on the ground to save energy. — An illustration of the small robots that form Shapeshifter. Nicknamed "cobots", they each have a propeller to fly and can combine to form a sphere, rolling on the ground to save energy.

The researchers are designing a series of a dozen robots that could also turn into a "swimming probe".

Although NASA's innovative advanced concepts research program is still in its infancy, Ali Agha from the jet propulsion lab hopes to see the mini-robots exploring Saturn's moon, Titan, one of the only other places known methane) on its surface.

PHOTO: An illustration of a first concept of Shapeshifter imagines robots on Titan, the moon of Saturn. — An illustration of a first concept of Shapeshifter imagines robots on Titan, the moon of Saturn.

"We have very little information on the composition of the surface," said Agha in a statement. "Rocky terrain, methane lakes, cryovolcans – we potentially have all this, but we do not know for sure."

"So we thought about how to create a versatile system that can cross different types of terrain, but also compact enough to launch on a rocket," said Agha.

PHOTO: A prototype of the Shapeshifter transformer robot is being tested at NASA's reaction propulsion laboratory robotics site. Shapeshifter is made up of smaller robots that can turn into rolling spheres, flying drones, submarines swimmers, and so on. — A prototype of the Shapeshifter transformer robot is tested in NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Shapeshifter is made up of smaller robots that can turn into rolling spheres, flying drones, submarines swimmers, and so on.

Although the Shapeshifter is semi-autonomous, in future designs, it will rely on other robots capable of "self-assembling without the need for Earth controls," according to NASA. .

"The remarkable versatility of Shapeshifter provides access to all these scientifically convincing locations," added Jason Hofgartner, lead scientist for the Jet Propulsion Lab Shapeshifter.

While researchers are working hard at shapeshifter design, NASA's next mission to Titan is not expected to be launched until 2026.

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