China unveils plans to send a humanoid into space and create the world's first robot astronaut

China is readying the world’s first robot astronaut for future missions to space – and it will send metal and code where no other humanoid ‘bot has been before.

Shenzhen-based robotics firm, Engine AI, says it wants to send its PM01 humanoid robot into orbit.

Robots won’t need food or oxygen to function in space, so it could be a better solution than risking human lives.

The goal is simple and wild at the same time: build what it calls the world’s first humanoid robot astronaut.

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The technicalities of sending a humanoid into space

Chinese tech company Engine AI says it has partnered with Beijing Interstellar Human Spaceflight Technology, a commercial space company, to launch a Humanoid Robot Astronaut Exploration Program into space.

The mission would use Engine AI’s PM01 humanoid platform, described as a general-purpose embodied intelligent system with high-precision sensors, fast motion response, and autonomous decision making.

The big pitch is that space is brutal, and robots can be built for it.

The space company points to the realities of vacuum, microgravity, extreme temperature swings, and radiation as the kind of conditions that push machines way beyond normal use on Earth.

The company says the partnership will focus on improving PM01’s adaptability and resilience so it can handle complex tasks more independently.

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Introducing the world’s first robot astronaut

So what would a robot astronaut actually do?

Engine AI argues a humanoid could take on higher-risk roles that are dangerous for humans, including external maintenance work, exploring hazardous areas, and long-duration monitoring.

The idea is not to replace astronauts, but to reduce exposure to the things that can go wrong when you are operating outside a station.

Back on Earth, PM01 is already being pushed as a research-friendly humanoid built to mix human-like motion with serious computing power.

The company says the compact robot features an interactive display, a bionic structure designed to mimic human movement, and a waist that can rotate up to 320 degrees.

It stands about 1.38 meters tall and weighs around 40 kg, with a dual chip setup using an NVIDIA Jetson Orin module alongside an Intel N97 CPU.

To infinity and beyond!