{"slug": "nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-for-deep-space-missions", "title": "NASA, Google test AI-powered medical robot for deep space missions", "summary": "NASA's Human Research Program, Johnson Space Center Robotics Team and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working with Google Public Sector, tested an AI-powered robotic payload handler that achieved an 85% baseline success rate in locating and moving a medical bag in early laboratory demonstrations. The proof-of-concept system, built on Physical Intelligence's open-source 4-billion parameter Pi0 model and trained on Google Cloud G4 instances in 2.5 hours, is designed to handle cargo and maintenance and to provide medical support such as retrieving and preparing an ultrasound machine, a capability Google says matters because a Mars mission could face round-trip communication latencies of up to 44 minutes. \"The ultimate goal is to build a robotic system that can execute a variety of tasks via simple voice instructions, under the astronauts' direct supervision and command,\" wrote Jim Kelly, vice president of federal sales at Google Public Sector.", "body_md": "# NASA, Google test AI-powered medical robot for deep space missions\n\n## The proof-of-concept system could help astronauts handle medical needs and routine tasks on future missions to the Moon and Mars.\n\nNASA is testing an artificial intelligence-powered robotic system that could help astronauts with routine maintenance and medical support without waiting for instructions from mission control.\n\nNASA’s [Human Research Program](https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/), Johnson Space Center Robotics Team and Jet Propulsion Laboratory collaborated with Google Public Sector to develop the system. \n\nUnder its Artemis program, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon, followed by missions to Mars.\n\nAccording to a Tuesday [blog post](https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/public-sector/google-cloud-and-nasa-testing-robotic-systems-for-deep-space-missions?e=48754805) from Google, an astronaut on a future deep space mission to Mars could face round-trip communication latencies of up to 44 minutes, making autonomous support for medical needs increasingly important.\n\n“Researchers at NASA are developing new tools utilizing super intelligence (SI) technology to support a variety of research efforts, missions, and programs,” a NASA spokesperson said in a statement to *Nextgov/FCW*. “Work is ongoing by NASA and a variety of partners to analyze and assess these tools for potential future applications.”\n\nThe latest effort builds on the development of the Crew Medical Officer Digital Assistant, an automated system that NASA and Google collaborated on to help astronauts with real-time medical guidance.\n\nThe new “proof-of-concept physical, robotic system” is designed as a payload handler that can manage cargo, logistics and equipment. When the system is not being used for routine maintenance, it can provide medical support.\n\nFor example, Google said that the robot could retrieve and prepare an ultrasound machine for an astronaut who is experiencing extreme back pain — a possible sign of kidney stones.\n\nIn early laboratory demonstrations, the robot achieved an 85% baseline success rate in locating and moving a medical bag. The system used the open-source Pi0 model, developed by AI software and research company Physical Intelligence and run on Google Cloud infrastructure.\n\nGoogle said its team used Google Cloud G4 computing instances to train and fine-tune the 4-billion parameter Pi0 model in just 2.5 hours.\n\n“The ultimate goal is to build a robotic system that can execute a variety of tasks via simple voice instructions, under the astronauts’ direct supervision and command,” Jim Kelly, vice president of federal sales at Google Public Sector, wrote in the blog post.\n\n“For instance, the robot might be directed to assist with routine health monitoring — such as capturing basic vitals or simple ultrasounds — under the strict guidance of a human crew medical officer,” Kelly added. “This ensures astronauts receive the physical assistance they might not be able to perform by themselves, without ever replacing human decision-making.”", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-for-deep-space-missions", "canonical_source": "https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2026/10/nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-deep-space-missions/416874/", "published_at": "2026-10-28 16:16:00+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-10-28 16:42:39.995206+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "robotics", "ai-research", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["NASA", "Google", "Google Public Sector", "Johnson Space Center Robotics Team", "Jet Propulsion Laboratory", "Physical Intelligence", "Pi0", "Jim Kelly"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-for-deep-space-missions", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-for-deep-space-missions.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-for-deep-space-missions.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/nasa-google-test-ai-powered-medical-robot-for-deep-space-missions.jsonld"}}