DEPLOYDatabase

Deployment

Astrobee at International Space Station, Earth Orbit

Three cube-shaped free-flying robots that navigate the ISS interior autonomously via vision-based navigation and fan propulsion (Bumble, Honey, Queen).

Astrobee by NASA Ames Research Center · Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verified

Track Astrobee at International Space Station, Earth Orbit

Recent coverage

See all coverage →

Machine-readable surfaces

Three Astrobee robots (Bumble, Honey, Queen) deployed aboard the International Space Station since 2019. The cube-shaped free-flying robots assist astronauts with research tasks, inventory management, and maintenance. Astrobee operates under supervisory control of ground operators or ISS crew. Confirmed by NASA and ISS National Lab.

Key facts

Operator
NASA
Fleet size
3 units (Bumble, Honey, Queen)
Purpose
Astronaut assistance, research, inventory

Safety record

No incidents on record for Astrobee at International Space Station, Earth Orbit.

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Trust tier
Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verifiedhow tiers work →
Last updated
2026-07-14
Model
Astrobee
Company
NASA Ames Research Center
Location
International Space Station, Earth Orbit
Status
operational
First seen
2019-04-19
ID
a6cdee7b-98f3-4bc1-b53b-de0bc04e1d06

Timeline

  1. Apr 2019
    First recorded
    Astrobee first documented operating at International Space Station, Earth Orbit.
  2. Jul 2026
    Current status: operational, reviewed
    Latest recorded state. New status transitions append here as the deployment-status recorder produces them.

On the deployment map

Astrobee operates in International Space Station, Earth Orbit. Explore the full verified map:

Sources (2)

  1. Astrobee - NASA · https://www.nasa.gov/astrobee/ · 2019-04-19
  2. Free-Flying Robots in Space · https://issnationallab.org/upward/upward71-free-flying-robots-astrobee/ · 2024-06-01
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-14

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: production

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

2
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Astrobee at International Space Station, Earth Orbit.

Common questions

What is the Astrobee deployment at International Space Station, Earth Orbit?
Astrobee, built by NASA Ames Research Center, is recorded as a deployment at International Space Station, Earth Orbit on the DEPLOY registry. NASA Ames Research Center operates the deployment directly.
Who operates Astrobee at International Space Station, Earth Orbit?
NASA Ames Research Center, the manufacturer of Astrobee, operates this deployment directly. This is a maker-deploys-its-own-product arrangement rather than a customer pilot.
When did the Astrobee deployment at International Space Station, Earth Orbit go live?
The deployment is recorded as starting April 19, 2019 on the DEPLOY registry. Earlier activity may exist but is not yet sourced.
Have there been incidents at the Astrobee deployment at International Space Station, Earth Orbit?
No active incidents affecting this deployment are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Absence of recorded incidents is not a guarantee no incident occurred; DEPLOY records only sourced incidents and suppresses retracted ones.

Deploy Watch

Track this deployment.

We notify you when status changes against primary-source evidence, contract events surface, or a related incident is filed.