We invite papers that exhibit theory, methods, and application of robotic systems in space including:

• specification and evaluation of mission concepts and designs;
• effects of the space environment on robotic sensors, actuators and devices;
• perception on planetary surfaces including consideration of light and natural terrain;
• studies and evaluation of planetary mobility including extreme terrain access;
• manipulation including sample acquisition, drilling, and sample transfer;
• applications in assembly, construction, and excavation;
• algorithms for localization and navigation, and task or mission planning;
• techniques for safe and precise orbital maneuvering, landing and other on-orbit operations;
• approaches to multi-robot cooperation and collaboration in space missions;
• experiments conducted in space or planetary analogue settings; and
• analysis of human robot interaction and robot autonomy.

Papers for this special issue must provide technical descriptions of systems and results and analysis of experimentation. We invite discussion and analysis of orbital robots/spacecraft and planetary rovers as well as prototype systems that have been field tested in terrestrial analogue environments. Lessons learned in development and operation are pertinent to the discussion.

We encourage papers addressing all aspects of space systems and applications. Robotic systems on Earth orbit, traveling in deep space, or operating on the surfaces of planets, moons, comets, or asteroids are of particular interest, as well systems envisioned for space application but developed and demonstrated in relevant environments here on Earth.

The T-FR encourages multimedia content and this issue seeks media illustrating space systems as well as open source software and public datasets related to space or analogue experiments