December 11, 2013
NASA Building Legs For ISS Robonaut 2
NASA has finished building mechanized legs for the International Space Station’s new crew member, the robotic R2. R2 actually arrived on the ISS back in February 2011 and has been undergoing test on its functionality in a microgravity environment. R2’s new legs will provide him the mobility necessary for helping with simple and repetitive tasks inside and outside of the space station. NASA hopes this will eventually help free up human crew members to do more scientific research projects. The legs give R2 a 9 foot leg span and have seven joints and a “foot,” which they’re calling an “end effector.” But the robot will need a little upgrading to his upper body before he can go space walking.
[ Read the Article: NASA’s Robonaut 2 Gets Space Legs To Help Out ISS Astronauts ]