NASA robots may climb the walls of the International Space Station one day using grippers inspired by the super-adhesive feet of geckoes.

Scientists at the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, are developing a "gecko gripper" system that could help robots inspect and repair the space station's exterior, and perhaps conduct a wide range of activities in Earth orbit. NASA released a video describing the gecko space robot concept Wednesday (Aug. 12).

"We might eventually grab satellites to repair them, service them, and we also could grab space garbage and try to clear it out of the way," JPL engineer Aaron Parness said in a statement.