Icarus Robotics Secures $6.1M for Space Worker Drones

September 19, 2025
Icarus Robotics has raised $6.1 million in seed funding to develop AI-controlled worker drones for commercial space stations, aiming to assist astronauts with routine tasks.

Icarus Robotics has raised $6.1 million in seed funding to advance its development of AI-controlled worker drones for use on commercial space stations. The New York-based startup plans to deploy these drones to handle routine tasks such as cargo handling, equipment checks, and potentially scientific experiments, allowing astronauts to focus on more critical scientific work.

Founded in 2024 by Jamie Palmer and Ethan Barajas, Icarus Robotics aims to address the inefficiencies in astronauts' workloads. The company plans to initially deploy a prototype remotely-piloted robot to the International Space Station (ISS) for a year-long residency. This initiative will help build a dataset to train future AI-powered models.

The prototype robot, designed with fan-powered propulsion and two arms, will be teleoperated from Earth. This approach is seen as cost-effective, given the high expenses associated with maintaining astronauts in space. Icarus envisions its robots working alongside astronauts on commercial space stations, and eventually performing tasks in the vacuum of space and on celestial bodies like the Moon and Mars.

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