Chinese satellite with robotic 'octopus arm' passes key refueling test in orbit — making longer-lived space assets more likely

Photo of the Hukeda-2 satellite in space, showing the robotic arm reaching toward a target port.

A Chinese satellite equipped with a robotic "octopus arm" has passed a key refueling test in low Earth orbit (LEO), according to state-run media. The achievement highlights China's continued leadership with this particular technology, which NASA has not yet caught up with.

The experimental spacecraft will eventually deploy a giant balloon in LEO, which could help solve another important issue surrounding satellite "megaconstellations" like SpaceX's Starlink network.