Underneath the Martian surface, immense sheets of ice lie untouched — including some that are several miles deep, the European Space Agency’s Mars Express probe suggested. More new reporting from Mars speculates that glacial ice may remain preserved beneath a previously unrecorded volcano in the planet’s equatorial region.
While expeditions like Mariner 9 and Curiosity have provided evidence that water once flowed in rivers and lakes on Mars, the presence of liquid water on the red planet is much less accessible today.
That’s where Honeybee Robotics steps in. The company’s RedWater project offers the possibility of making Martian ice a feasible water source — something that could potentially enable a human expedition in the future.
While working as a human engineer on Mars may still be something out of science fiction, a project like RedWater is only a few steps removed from the experience, which helps keep the team engaged and excited.
“We designed, built and tested a drilling system for mining water from subsurface ice deposits on Mars,” Systems Engineer Joey Palmowski said. “As if building a drill to use on Mars wasn’t already cool enough, we also tested it in our giant cold chamber drilling into a five-foot tall block of ice. And it worked!”
Built In learned more about work at Honeybee Robotics and Palmowski’s experience working on RedWater.
Honeybee Robotics develops groundbreaking robotics that enable the exploration and utilization of space.
Describe Honeybee Robotics’ culture in one word, and explain your choice.
Cohesive.
At Honeybee, every new addition feels like the perfect fit — not just skill-wise, but in how we gel, in our shared values and in the vibrancy each person brings. There’s a certain magic in how connected we all feel, how smoothly we move together towards our shared dreams. It’s all built on a foundation of honest conversations, deep-seated respect and a collective striving for greatness. We’ve nurtured a space where everyone, no matter their role, feels truly seen and heard, sparking an energy of cooperation and fresh ideas.
Day in and day out, I witness this firsthand. Our office is a live mosaic of teamwork. Whether it’s a spontaneous think-tank session by the whiteboard, a meticulous assembly of flight hardware in the clean room or a mixed department meeting pulsing with collaborative spirit, it’s all there. This unity, this shared heartbeat, is deeply woven into who we are and lights up something truly extraordinary within our company.
“Our office is a live mosaic of teamwork.”
How did working on RedWater help you grow professionally?
RedWater was my first large-scale project as a technical lead, and it was a very rewarding and humbling experience to see it to fruition. I had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of colleagues and the cohesive unit we built certainly contributed to its success.
Throughout the project, I feel that I grew a lot and built a solid foundation as a leader. There were also many lessons learned that I continue to carry forward in my work.
