WorkingoutsidetheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS),anastronautissuddenlyhitbyapieceofspacedebris(碎片)thatdamageshisspacesuit.Alarmed,herealizeshe'sjustsecondsfromdisaster.Movingfast,hispreparedrobotpartn
WorkingoutsidetheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS),anastronautissuddenlyhitbyapieceofspacedebris(碎片)thatdamageshisspacesuit.Alarmed,herealizeshe'sjustsecondsfromdisaster.Movingfast,hispreparedrobotpartnerslaps(拍打)anauto-patchoverthetearinhisspacesuit.HugesighsofrelieffilltheISS.Inside,theastronautresponsibleforsavingthespacewalker'slifecontrolseverythingtherobotavatarhasdone-includingrescuingitshumanpartner-whileitworksoutsidethespacestation.
R2:TheRealDeal
Arobotcompanioncancomeinhandytospacetravelers,whetherthey'reasfarawayasMarsorascloseasaspacestationormoonbase.Space-travellingavatars,controlledremotelybyhumansarestillaconcept.Butearlierintheyear2011,NASAsentahumanoidrobotintospaceforthefirsttime.It'scalledR2,shortforRobonaut2.TherobotwasdeliveredbythespaceshuttleDiscoveryandwillremainontheISStobetested.
NASAexpectsrobotslikeR2tobeahugehelptoastronauts."Ourgoalisforrobotstoworksidebysidewithhumans,"saysNASA'sMattOndler.R2iscontrolledbyhumansusinglaptops.It'sprogrammedtoperformanumberofsmalltasks,suchas"findanobject."Inmostsituations,humansarestillfarbetterwiththeirhandsthanrobots.Butthat'snotnecessarilytrueinspace,whereastronautsmustwearbulkyspacesuitsandheavygloves.Andsincetheydon'tneedtoeat,breathe,orgotothebathroom,robonautshavetheadvantageforlengthyjobs.
R2isn'treadyforspacewalksyet,butNASAhopesthatfutureimprovementswillmakethispossible."RobonautswillhelpourastronautswiththethreeD's:jobsthataredirty,dull,anddangerous,"saysOndler.
ToTheMoon
SomedaythespaceagencyhopestosendR2tothemoon.Sendingarobottothemoonwillbefarlessexpensivethansendingahuman.Arobotisstronger,cansurviveintighterspaces,anddoesn'tneedair.Evenbetter,robotsdon'tcarehowlongittakesforNASAtoreturnthemtoEarth.
Onceonthemoon,therobonautcouldperformexperiments,sendlivevideobacktoEarth,talktoclassroomsfullofkids,andexplorethelunarsurface.R2willbeabletomoveusinglegs,orbyattachingitstorso(躯干)toafour-wheeledrov