The First Humanoid Robot in Space Robonaut 2 (R2)
Discipline: Environmental Control/Life Support
Robonaut’s development began at the NASA Johnson Space Center in 1997. Funded as a technology program to push the envelope of space robotics, its journey to space has been circuitous and required perseverance from many engineers over its lifespan. Today onboard the International Space Station (ISS), Robonaut 2 has spanned six crew expeditions and has been recently upgraded with walking legs. These legs will soon allow it to move inside the ISS to prepare for future robotic extravehicular activity outside the habitation modules. Scott Askew will discuss Robonaut technology and the ways engineers have germinated multiple new projects that are enabling future capabilities for humans in space and on Earth.