Then there are the robotic spacecrafts (also known as space probes) that are deployed solely to make scientific research measurements. While Mars may currently be the only planet in our Solar system to be inhabited by robots, other planets have also received visits by these space probes, e.g. Mercury’s MESSENGER, Venus’s Akatsuki, Jupiter’s Juno, and Saturn’s Cassini.

Other planets have received fly-by robotic visitors, like the Voyager 2. In fact, the Voyager is not only still in operation since first launched in 1977, it has now reached interstellar space, of which is expected to provide the first direct measurements of the density and temperature of the interstellar plasma.

Alongside these planets, several of their moons, asteroids, and even the dwarf planet Pluto have received robotic visitors over the years.

“To send humans back to the moon would not be advancing. It would be more than 50 years after the first moon landing when we got there, and we’d probably be welcomed by the Chinese. But we should return to the moon without astronauts and build, with robots, an international lunar base, so that we know how to build a base on Mars robotically.” - Buzz Aldrin

Coming back closer to home, Earth is still currently being orbited by the ISS. And inside this space station are a group of Earth’s best astronauts. Though to make their jobs easier (and arguably more entertaining), a group of robots have joined these astronauts on the ISS.

The biggest contributor in this joint robot-human operation would have to be Canada. From the Canadarm series of robotic arms and hands to the telemanipulator Dextre, Canada has successfully launched several robots that are still assisting astronauts to this day, whether it’s hoisting large equipment, helping dock cargo-carrying spacecrafts, or doing maintenance work on the ISS itself.

Then again, when we think of robots, we’re not thinking of automated arms or hands, but entire robots that take on the appearance of humans. Thankfully, the ISS has one of those as well, known as the Robonaut 2 — the dexterous humanoid robot that assists astronauts throughout the space station.

For others, we also think of cute robots that range in various different applications, from taking pictures to having conversations. Thanks to Japan, even this has become a reality, as their BB8-lookalike robotic drone, Int-Ball, is in operation and gives tours of the ISS and its inhabitants.