Paul Backes

About

Paul Backes is a pioneering robotics researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory whose work spans space telerobotics, autonomous manipulation, and advanced robotic systems. His research has profoundly shaped how robots operate in extreme and remote environments, from the surface of Mars to the depths of space. Backes made early foundational contributions in teleoperation and space robotics, developing the Modular Telerobot Task Execution System (MOTES) and a landmark dual-arm robotic testbed at JPL, helping establish architecture principles that still influence space robotics today. His work on the Mars Polar Lander mission pioneered Internet-based distributed ground operations—a transformative approach to planetary science collaboration. He later contributed to autonomous dexterous manipulation through the DARPA ARM program, advancing model-based object recognition and task execution. Perhaps most visibly, Backes was a key contributor to RoboSimian, JPL's quadrupedal robot that achieved 5th place at the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals (130 and 86 citations respectively), demonstrating exceptional versatility in mobility and manipulation. His more recent work on robotically assembled modular space telescopes (125 citations) and autonomous in-space assembly envisions a bold future for large-scale orbital construction. Across his career, Backes has consistently bridged theoretical innovation and real-world robotic deployment at the highest levels.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Mobile Manipulation and Mobility as Manipulation—Design and Algorithms of RoboSimian

   130 citations · 2015
2. 2
   Architecture for in-space robotic assembly of a modular space telescope

   125 citations · 2016
3. 3
   Team RoboSimian: Semi‐autonomous Mobile Manipulation at the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals

   86 citations · 2016
4. 4
   The multifunction automated crawling system (MACS)

   72 citations · 2002
5. 5
   Internet-based operations for the Mars Polar Lander mission

   51 citations · 2002
6. 6
   End-to-end dexterous manipulation with deliberate interactive estimation

   45 citations · 2012
7. 7
   A testbed for a unified teleoperated-autonomous dual-arm robotic system

   41 citations · 2002
8. 8
   Application of intelligent monitoring for super long distance teleoperation

   36 citations · 2002
9. 9
   Payload‐centric autonomy for in‐space robotic assembly of modular space structures

   29 citations · 2018
10. 10
    The modular telerobot task execution system for space telerobotics

    28 citations · 2002

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links