Robert Steele

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

Papers

Total Citations

149

H-Index

About

Robert Steele is a leading figure in space robotics, whose work has fundamentally advanced the autonomous operation of robotic systems in extreme environments. His primary research areas encompass planetary surface exploration, telerobotics, and real-time control systems. Steele's most impactful contribution is the development of the ROAMS physics-based simulator, a foundational tool for designing and testing planetary rovers, which has garnered 76 citations. He also pioneered the Modular Telerobot Task Execution System (MOTES) for Space Station Freedom, a critical architecture for remote task execution that has been cited 28 times. His experimental work on contact control and sensor-based collision avoidance, with 25 and 16 citations respectively, provided practical, validated strategies for safe manipulator operation. Notably, his early work on integrating Ada programming for real-time robotics offered key lessons for the field. Through these contributions, Steele has directly shaped the technology used in NASA's planetary missions and space station robotics, establishing a legacy of bridging theoretical control with robust, flight-ready implementation.