The Marketing Minute: Marketing Is a Team Sport
The Right Approach: Old Philosophies, New Tools
Trouble in Your Tank: HDI and UHDI—Building the Foundation of Advanced Packaging
NASA and Star Wars: The Connections Are Strong in This One
| NASAEstimated reading time: 4 minutes
We Actually Do Have the Droids You’re Looking For
NASA has robots roving and exploring all over the solar system, but it's our own “R2” that's most likely to resonate with Star Wars fans. Robonaut 2, launched in 2011, is working along side humans on board the International Space Station, and may eventually help with spacewalks too dangerous for humans. Incidentally, an earlier version of Robonaut bore a strong “facial” resemblance to enigmatic bounty hunter Boba Fett.
NASA's own "R2," Robonaut 2, at work on board the International Space Station
Credits: NASA
Another "droid" seen on the space station was directly inspired by the saga. In 1999, then Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor David Miller, now NASA's Chief Technologist, showed the original 1977 Star Wars to his students on their first day of class. After the scene where hero Luke Skywalker learns lightsaber skills by sparring with a floating droid “remotes” on the Millennium Falcon, Miller stood up and pointed: "I want you to build me some of those."
The result was "SPHERES," or Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites. Originally designed to test spacecraft rendezvous and docking maneuvers, the bowling-ball size mini-satellites can now be powered by smart phones.
Page 2 of 4
Share on:
Subscribe
Stay ahead of the technologies shaping the future of electronics with our latest newsletter, Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest. Get expert insights on advanced packaging, materials, and system-level innovation, delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now to stay informed, competitive, and connected.
Suggested Items
Draper Breaks Ground on New Microelectronics Building in Lowell
10/14/2026 | Draper LaboratoryDraper recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new microelectronics building in Lowell, Massachusetts. The building will house Draper's Integrated Microelectronics Production & Advanced Chip Technology (IMPACT) Center.
ComEd, Richardson Electronics Expand Illinois Battery Storage Project
10/14/2026 | Richardson Electronics, Ltd.ComEd and Richardson Electronics, Ltd. joined state and industry leaders to announce Richardson Electronics’ expanded manufacturing of locally produced battery energy storage systems and plans to install its first onsite battery energy storage system demonstration project.
LITEON September Sales Rise 22% on Strong AI and Cloud Demand
10/14/2026 | LITEON TechnologyLITEON’s consolidated revenue for September reached NT$18.8 billion, representing a 22% Y-o-Y increase.
Sypris Receives Follow-On Award for Mission-Critical U.S. Navy Program Share
10/14/2026 | Sypris Electronics LLCSypris Electronics, LLC, a subsidiary of Sypris Solutions, Inc., announced that it has received a follow-on award to manufacture and test electronic power supplies for a large, mission-critical U.S. Navy program.
Below the Surface: From Substrate to System—Why Integration Is the Real RF Breakthrough
10/14/2026 | Chandra Gupta -- Column: Below the SurfaceIn previous columns, I’ve described the ceramic substrate itself, talking about why material choice matters so deeply in electronics, RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave applications. Dielectric constant, loss tangent, thermal conductivity, and stability across temperature and frequency are the physical rules that govern whether a signal arrives intact or collapses into noise. But focusing only on the substrate is a bit like judging a city solely by its geology. Bedrock matters, of course.