Article by Roberto Artola

ASTRONOMIC ATHLETE

INTRO

Located beyond the atmosphere, the Astrobee robots float swiftly through the space station, accurately performing tasks and assisting the astronauts to move cargo throughout the station

And when he finally found an opportunity to further this interest, he took it.

A DAY IN THE LIFE A typical day for Ruben is usually found at home. He works diligently at his computer on his projects, while jumping on zoom ABOUT RUBEN & NASA Back down in Mountain View meetings and calls to discuss with California, 25 year old Ruben Garcia the team. Ruben explains that his work cannot be done is a hard working sociable without the collabyoung adult that works oration of his team. at NASA in Silicon Ruben states, “... in Valley. Here at NASA, my case we are quite he spends his days focused and centralworking diligently ized on our team, we’ve with his team of deworked together for velopers on the softyears. The team’s project ware for the Astrobee manager has always been robot which is advancvery interested in us personally, ing space developments to make so we are always stable and ready.” space exploration safer and easier.

This robot comes in a set of 3 robots, Working together provides him and in which they perform routine tasks his team with the stability and motivation necessary to complete projon the space stations like moving ects efficiently and effectively. cargo, taking inventory, or documenting experiments. These robots A LEAP OF FAITH come with cameras to allow them NASA has an extremely broad to “see” their surroundings and an arm attached to hold items. (NASA) job opportunity list. Offering 339,600 jobs in 2021 (NASA). Out of From a young age Garcia was interested in computers and software. this broad spectrum, Ruben decid-

ed to take on software development. also robots. Basically, it is a robotic Back in Mexico he went to college research platform, apart from the for software development. But Rufact that we produce, that is, in itself ben recalls, “...the opportunity to a product…” Astrobee has already move here came a little unexpected, seen great success and progress. In but it was precisely the opportunispace, astrobee has operated over ty to apply what I liked to do, and I 750 hours on the space station and think that’s why there was that opcompleted over 100 activities from portunity and I took it.” So moving tech demonstrations to assisting in to America and working in the Sili- experiments. (NASA). Ruben also con Valley wasn’t always in his plans added that its platform is currently but he was willing to being used by major schools take the leap of faith. and universities like MIT, So Ruben packed Stanford, California State his bags, and once schools, and many others he arrived Ruben across the globe. Astrobee describes, “Oh, and has reached global usage in I loved the place, I countries like Japan, Gerloved the work envimany, and Australia. ronment and I loved But what exactly what I was doing and what does Astrobee I continue to do. And that’s provide to these why I stayed.” He really enjoyed countries? Ruben explains, “our the place, even though it was a com- facility allows them to test their repletely different way of life. And now search. So, by being able to test that here we are today. research, that allows technologies to be developed that do not exist right WHAT ASTROBEE IS ALL ABOUT now, but that can be carried out.”

Astrobee is more than just a Astrobee permits companies to derobotic project. Ruben further develop their ideas and products. With scribes, “We are a research platform the research they perform, they are of investigation. Astrobee is a facil- able to better understand their prodity, it is a group of laboratories and ucts and the current market. This is

especially helpful to startup companies to have an upper hand and hopefully help them fully develop themselves and their products.

all these resources and information readily available, Astrobee is the future and has a lot of potential.

A WORD OF ADVICE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Finding jobs and opportuniAstrobee is far more than just ties may be overwhelming and very stressful. It may even seem imposa robot in space. It promotes new sible nowadays but here’s what Ruachievements and even ideas that don’t exist yet. Ruben describes, “... ben has to say about experiencing challenges, “Because basically it is like a looking back, I step to achieve new don’t think technolI would ogy, change too new many things about what I did, right? achievements.”

Because it really is a process that A new achievement in you have to go through, like the space robotics is mentioned in an process of finding roadblocks along article by NASA which describes, “Astrobatics tests robotic movement the way, the process of finding difficulties and overcoming them, those using hopping or self-toss maneuvers by the station’s Astrobee robots. challenges are what shape you as a person and as a professional as well.

In low gravity, robots could move faster, use less fuel, and cover other- If you remove those obstacles from your path, you might not have the wise impassable terrain with these maneuvers, expanding their orbital same results that you truly desire and planetary capabilities.” (NASA) in that moment, and that also helps In the modern world, technology is you to really improve in your professional career.” advancing very fast. We must take advantage of this rapid advancement and have technology become more of a tool in the future. So with

About the Author

Roberto Artola is a junior at Mountain View High School and Freestyle Academy. Artola is a film student that enjoys playing guitar. He hopes to develop his editing skills using Adobe applications like In Design or Premiere Pro. He aspires to one day be able to create music using Audition and Pro tools some day.