GITAI G1

What it's for

The GITAI G1 is not a robot for a hall in Tychy or a warehouse near Poznań. Its workplace is space: the International Space Station, Earth orbit and — in the company's plans — the surface of the Moon. The robot is shaped like a torso with two arms (200 cm tall, 120 kg), and its mobility breaks down like this: 8 degrees of freedom per arm, one per hand and three in the torso, 21 DOF in all.

The robot is meant to perform manipulation work remotely, without a person in a spacesuit and without the preparation of a spacewalk. That is precisely what the G1 is meant for on the ISS, alongside satellite servicing in orbit (so-called on-orbit servicing) and future lunar missions.

The drive is electric, and the manufacturer notes that power depends on the application — battery or external supply. That is a sensible approach: inside a station module a cable is enough, while on lunar terrain autonomy will count. The manufacturer gives no battery runtime.

For comparison with terrestrial humanoids in humanoid robots, remember that the design here is subordinated to the vacuum and microgravity environment, not to walking around a hall — although the data lists a speed of 1.11 m/s (about 4 km/h). On our site the G1 falls under “Specialist robots”, because it fits no typical industrial scenario. It is closest to the world of research (laboratories), and what twenty-odd degrees of freedom actually buy you is explained in the article on “Degrees of Freedom (DOF) in Humanoid Robots”.

Who it's for

Yes: for space agencies, satellite operators and space-industry firms looking for a robot for manipulation work in orbit or at a lunar base and ready for a project tailored to the order. Yes also for laboratories and universities (universities) following how space robotics is developing — the G1 is a good reference point when discussing how a "ground" humanoid differs from an "orbital" one.

No: for factories, warehouses, services and anything that happens on Earth (factories). GITAI publishes no price list, the model's status is pilot, and there is no confirmed distributor in Poland. Not for purchasing departments seeking catalog hardware with a predictable delivery date. Not for companies that want to check "whether a humanoid pays off for us" — the calculations in “Humanoid Robot TCO: How to Calculate Total Cost” and models you can actually buy in zlotys, such as the Unitree G1, serve that better.

Deployments

Worldwide, the application area is narrow: work on the International Space Station, satellite servicing and planned lunar missions. The company cites the deployment of its Inchworm robot on the ISS as part of its portfolio, but that is a different model. If you want to see what real humanoid deployments look like on Earth, turn to “Humanoid Robots in Factories 2026”.

There is no single "cheaper version" of a space robot, but there are models with a similar philosophy — research or showcase machines.

Valkyrie — NASA's humanoid from 2013 (187 cm, 136 kg, 44 degrees of freedom). Heavier and taller than the G1, and likewise not sold commercially.

TORO — a German research biped from DLR (174 cm, 76 kg, 39 DOF), used for gait research since 2013; an example of a design built for science, not for the market.

PAL Robotics TALOS — a research humanoid from PAL Robotics with torque control; useful when you need a platform for your own algorithms.

Unitree G1 — if the goal is to learn humanoid manipulation in a lab, not to fly a space mission: clearly cheaper (PLN 52,329 (≈ EUR 11,970) for the standard version) and actually available. When choosing, remember that none of these machines is a ready "replacement" for the G1: they differ in working environment, availability and design purpose, so compare them for research rather than for purchase.

GITAI is a Tokyo-based company founded in 2016. In our catalog the G1 appears as a robot unveiled in January 2020 and developed ever since with pilot status. The model is part of a broader portfolio: alongside it GITAI develops the Inchworm robot, deployed on the ISS, and the S3 servicing satellite. The manufacturer gives no numbered generations of the G1, and we have no documented funding or testing milestones — we do not add that information on a hunch. The overall picture of the humanoid market, in which the G1 is an exception to the rule, is sketched in “Humanoid Robot Market Forecasts”.