


NASA To Send a Humanoid Robot On Shuttle's Final Mission 119
coondoggie writes "Perhaps taking a page from a Star Wars script, NASA said today it will send its newest humanoid robot, known as Robonaut2, on board the space shuttle's final mission. R2 is capable of using the same tools as humans, letting it work closely with people in space."
Why not let a machine do a machine's job? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:No need to worry... (Score:3, Insightful)
Why? Why? WHY? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Why? Why? WHY? (Score:3, Insightful)
Why humanoid?
Because there is an entire technology base on Earth geared around the humanoid form. It is a more cost efficient form than a form specialized to the task at hand.
Re:Why not let a machine do a machine's job? (Score:3, Insightful)
I'd say that all the trouble with maintaining a human in a spacesuit present larger "mechanical hazard" than using a teleoperated robot (which has a shape similar to human torso so that its operator can better relate to its movements)
Re:Why? Why? WHY? (Score:3, Insightful)
Given that manned space exploration is colossally more expensive than unmanned, the burden is on you to justify why it should be done at all, and why the far cheaper and far more ambitious unmanned alternatives need to be displaced for it. The budget is finite, and cannot accommodate everything.
Re:Why? Why? WHY? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why? Why? WHY? (Score:5, Insightful)
It also allows a human to operate the same equipment (such as pod bay doors), should the robot malfunction.
Re:Well... (Score:3, Insightful)
Actually, it seems to be a response to midterm elections in Florida, Alabama, and Texas. None of those states is going to be especially happy if NASA doesn't keep bringing home the bacon, and Obama doesn't need any easy Republican wins in the House races in those states.