China space startup successfully demonstrates flexible robotic arm in orbit

BEIJING: A Chinese aerospace startup has successfully demonstrated a flexible robotic arm in orbit, marking a significant milestone for the country’s commercial space sector and advancing orbital refueling technology designed to extend spacecraft lifespans.

Launched on March 16 aboard a Kuaizhou-11 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Yuxing-3 06 satellite has since completed a series of complex in-orbit operations using its flexible manipulator.

These operations included simulations of autonomous programmed refueling, ground-controlled refueling, and vision-guided servo refueling, the arm’s designer, Sustain Space, announced on Wednesday.

Developed by a team led by Tsinghua University’s Shenzhen International Graduate School, the device features a flexible, continuum hollow arm with rear-mounted cable drive transmission. It successfully achieved precise docking with fueling ports at an altitude of hundreds of thousands of meters.

Unlike traditional rigid robotic arms, this flexible manipulator resembles a nimble elephant trunk. It can easily curl, twist, and coil to adapt to complex and confined spaces.

The test marks a significant advancement for China’s commercial space industry regarding on-orbit servicing, according to the Suzhou-based space firm.

“When a car breaks down, you can take it to a service center for repair, but what do you do when a spacecraft breaks down in space?” asked Wang Xueqian, the Tsinghua research team leader who has spent over a decade advancing space robotics.

“Space robots can perform extravehicular operations, and even refuel and repair spacecraft as well as clear space debris,” Wang added.

China previously launched the Shijian-25 test satellite in January 2025, primarily to verify technologies for satellite fuel replenishment and life extension services.