Designing Modular Systems to Enable Robotic Exploration and Support Astronaut Health on Space Missions

Dr. Jose Baca is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He earned his PhD in Automation and Robotics from the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid in Spain, his master’s degree in Mechatronics from the University of Applied Science of Aachen in Germany, and his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Instituto Tecnologico de Matamoros in Mexico. His research focuses on developing modular robotic systems and modular systems for diverse domains, including autonomous systems, space, industry, agriculture, healthcare, and education. Currently, he is involved in projects related to coastal resilience, multidomain multi-robot systems, medical devices, agriculture technologies, and STEM programs.

Future space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond will demand technologies that are flexible, efficient, and capable of adapting to extreme and unpredictable environments and situations. Modular systems offer a powerful solution: they consist of independent yet functional components that can operate on their own or combine to form complex, reconfigurable robots or systems. This adaptability makes modular systems ideal for space applications, from robots capable of traversing unexplored terrains to habitat technologies designed to sustain astronaut health during long-term missions. This presentation highlights academic research projects where students apply modularity principles to create multifunctional systems with compact and adaptable designs. The goal is to develop innovations that can adapt to diverse scenarios and constraints, and efficiently perform multiple tasks.