The MANTIS payload will integrate TUI's existing KRAKEN® compact robotic arm into an Express Rack payload and develop and deliver an integrated software planning and validation toolset to enable NASA and commercial customers such as NanoRacks to perform experiments aboard the ISS via teleoperation. The MANTIS capability will act as a 'force multiplier' for scarce astronaut time by offloading repetitive, 'menial' tasks from the crew, dramatically improving experiment throughput on NanoRacks’ NanoLab facility and the planned NASA/MSFC In-Space Manufacturing FabLab. The effort will deliver an open software framework based on the Robot Operating System (ROS) environment to enable NASA staff, academic researchers, as well as STEM programs to develop and test new methods for teleoperation and autonomy and then validate them on orbit using the MANTIS payload.

The MANTIS effort will deliver to NASA a critical robotic tool for tending the In-Space Manufacturing Program's FabLab suite of lockers onboard the ISS. MANTIS will also perform collaborative robotics task demonstrations with Astrobee and Robonaut. The open software architecture will enable researchers to develop and validate task simulations before performing them on the ISS based hardware.

NanoRacks will utilize the MANTIS payload to tend experiments in their ISS-based laboratory, which will dramatically increase experimental throughput and profitability. MANTIS will also give researchers the ability to develop and test new methods for supervised telerobotic operation on the ISS. A space-rated version will find a market in on-orbit satellite servicing and assembly.