Robonaut

300px|thumb|Two Robonaut 2 robots

A robonaut is a humanoid robot, part of a development project conducted by the Dexterous Robotics Laboratory at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. Robonaut differs from other current space-faring robots in that, while most current space robotic systems (such as robotic arms, cranes and exploration rovers) are designed to move large objects, Robonaut's tasks require more dexterity.

The core idea behind the Robonaut series is to have a humanoid machine work alongside astronauts. Its form factor and dexterity are designed such that Robonaut "is capable of performing all the tasks required of an EVA-suited crewmember."

NASA states, "Robonauts are essential to NASA's future as we go beyond low Earth orbit", The first US-built robot on the ISS, R2 is a robotic torso designed to assist with crew EVAs and can hold tools used by the crew. However, Robonaut 2 does not have adequate protection needed to exist outside the space station and enhancements and modifications would be required to allow it to move around the station's interior. Robonaut B was introduced in 2002, R1B is a portable version of R1. R1 had several lower bodies. One of these was the Zero-G Leg, which if Robonaut was working on the space station he would climb using the external handrails and then use his zero-g leg to latch onto the station using a WIF socket. Another was the Robotic Mobility Platform (RMP), developed in 2003, it is a base with two wheels using a Segway PT. And the four wheeled Centaur 1, which was developed in 2006.

Robonaut has participated in NASA's Desert Research and Technology Studies field trials in the Arizona desert.

In 2006, the automotive company General Motors expressed interest in the project and proposed to team up with NASA. In 2007 a Space Act Agreement was signed that allowed GM and NASA to work together on the next generation of Robonaut.

File:Robonaut with zero-g leg.jpg | Robonaut with zero-g leg

File:H robonaut wheels 02.jpg | Robonaut attached to RMP

File:Robonaut 1 attached to Centaur 1.jpg | Robonaut attached to Centaur 1

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Robonaut 2

thumb|R2 moves for the first time aboard the ISS.

In February 2010, Robonaut 2 (R2) was revealed to the public. R2 is capable of speeds more than four times faster than R1, is more compact, more dexterous, and includes a deeper and wider range of sensing. It can move its arms up to 2 m/s, has a payload capacity, and its hands have a grasping force of roughly per finger. There are over 350 sensors and 38 PowerPC processors in the robot.

Station crew members will be able to operate R2, as will controllers on the ground; both will do so using telepresence. One of the improvements over the previous Robonaut generation is that R2 does not need constant supervision. In anticipation of a future destination in which distance and time delays would make continuous management problematic, R2 was designed to be set to tasks and then carry them through autonomously with periodic status checks. The R2 model also uses touch sensors at the tips of its fingers.

R2 was designed as a prototype to be used on Earth, but mission managers were impressed by R2 and chose to send it to the ISS.

2011 Testing at the ISS

Robonaut 2 was launched on STS-133 on February 24, 2011, and delivered to the ISS. On August 22, R2 was powered up for the first time while in low earth orbit. This was called a "power soak" which is a power system test only with no movement. On October 13, R2 moved for the first time while in space. The conditions aboard the space station provide a proving ground for robots to work shoulder to shoulder with people in microgravity. Once this has been demonstrated inside the station, software upgrades and lower bodies may be added, allowing R2 to move around the interior of the station and perform maintenance tasks, such as vacuuming or cleaning filters.

Further upgrades could be added to allow R2 to work outside in the vacuum of space, where R2 could help spacewalkers perform repairs, make additions to the station or conduct scientific experiments. There were initially no plans to return the launched R2 to earth. NASA planned to return R2 for repairs and then relaunch.But as of 2024 it has not been launched into space and is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at the National Air and Space Museum in northern Virginia.[http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-102424a-robonaut-2-r2-humanoid-smithsonian-display.html]

NASA's experience with R2 on the station will help them understand its capabilities for possible deep space missions.

File:Robonaut2 and Dan Burbank.jpg | R2 aboard ISS with Dan Burbank

File:Robonaut 2 and Centaur 2.jpg | R2 attached to Centaur 2

File:Robonaut and Project M concept art.jpg | R2 with proposed terrestrial legs

File:R2 climb legs demo.jpg | R2 with its 'climbing legs'

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Project M (R2 on the moon)

In late 2009, a proposed mission called Project M was announced by Johnson Space Center that, if it had been approved, would have had the objective of landing an R2 robot on the Moon within 1,000 days.

References

External links

Robonaut home page
Robonaut2 NASA press release and fact sheet
Robonaut2 GM press release
Old Robonaut Website
Robonaut 2 ready for International Space Station - April 14th, 2010
In-depth article on Robonaut at NASASpaceFlight.com
Robonaut: A Robotic Astronaut Assistant
Robonaut 2 Overview slideshow

Videos

NASA/GM Overview of the R2
NASA to launch R2 to join Space Station Crew - April 12th, 2010
Robonaut Animation Depicting EVA work on ISS
Animation of a teleoperated legged Robonaut on the moon
Animation of a Robonaut centaur installing a nuclear powerplant on the moon