Looking Back at Gundam’s Journey into Space as Haro Prepares for Launch

With a Haro-inspired robot now being prepared for a real mission aboard the International Space Station, it’s easy to see why the project feels like a first for Gundam.

But in reality, the groundwork has already been there.

Back in 2017, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency introduced the Int-Ball, a spherical robotic camera designed to float freely inside the station. Controlled from the ground, it captures images and video so astronauts can focus on more critical tasks.

Functionally, it’s very different from Haro. But visually and conceptually, the overlap is hard to ignore. A compact sphere navigating microgravity, assisting humans, and operating with a level of autonomy. It’s the kind of idea Gundam has been playing with for decades.

The connection between Gundam and real-world space exploration became even more direct in 2019.

As part of the franchise’s 40th anniversary and in support of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, JAXA worked with the University of Tokyo to send Gundam into orbit. The project used specially engineered Gunpla models of the RX-78-2 Gundam and Char’s Zaku II, designed to withstand the harsh environment of space.

Rather than launching full-scale mobile suits, the models were placed inside a compact microsatellite. Once in orbit, the satellite would open, creating the illusion of the mobile suits floating in space as it circled Earth at incredible speed.

Why This Matters Now

Seen in that context, the upcoming Haro mission doesn’t come out of nowhere. It feels like the next step in a long-running relationship between Gundam and space technology.

From Int-Ball’s real-world functionality to Gundam models orbiting Earth, the franchise has already crossed into reality more than once. Now, with a Haro designed by Kunio Okawara aiming to operate inside the ISS, that connection is becoming more direct and more intentional.