NASA builds Habitable Worlds Observatory to be serviced by robots

Technology Jul 09, 2026

NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), launching in the 2040s, is designed to search for Earthlike planets and signs of alien life.
Since it will be parked about 1 million miles from Earth at Lagrange Point 2, sending astronauts for repairs is not really an option, so NASA is building it to be serviced by robots instead.

Robots will repair and upgrade HWO

These robotic helpers will handle repairs, swap out instruments, and add upgrades as technology improves.
Unlike the James Webb Space Telescope (which cannot be fixed if something breaks), HWO is made to stay up-to-date and working longer, helping scientists keep the hunt for habitable worlds going strong.