NASA is teaming up with a company called Arx Pax to develop the science they can use for a real life tractor beam, Pioneer News reports.

“Arx Pax and NASA will work together to design a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance,” Arx Pax representatives explained Wednesday, September 2. “The device will draw, as well as repel, satellites at the same time, meaning it will hold a satellite at a distance and won’t allow it to move away or toward the capture device. This will enable the capability to capture, and possibly manipulate, microsatellites or other objects without making physical contact with them.”

Arx Pax CEO Greg Henderson goes on to say, “Likely uses for this technology include manipulating various types of objects at a distance without touching them or colliding with them.” In an email to FoxNews.com, he continues, “One example could be moving an object, like a satellite, or holding it stationary without physical contact.”

But Henderson also notes that both companies remain pretty tight-lipped about the majority of the project. “The collaboration is evolving and the project is a work in process. We will share more information as we hit specific joint development milestones,” Henderson said, according to Pioneer News.

NASA Langley Research Center On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites Project Manager, Luke Murchison, commentsed: “We continue to place a firm emphasis on innovation and collaboration. We’re confident and excited about the possibilities this agreement proposes.”