Engineers at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) continue to work on preparing humanoid robots for use in space. Experts explained this situation to journalists agencies Reuters.
One of these machines is the Valkyrie android, which is 188 centimeters tall and weighs 136 kilograms. Android is designed to work in hazardous environments such as natural disaster areas. Roboticists hope to adapt Valkyrie to the even more hostile environment of space.
The android could be sent to perform risky tasks, including cleaning solar panels and diagnosing equipment outside the spacecraft, according to Sean Azimi, NASA’s chief of robotics.
“We are not trying to replace human crews, we are just trying to free them from boring, dirty and dangerous jobs so they can focus on higher-level activities,” Azimi told reporters.
Another robot astronaut could be Android Apollo, developed by Texas company Apptronik. He was designed as a warehouse worker with the ability to carry packages and stack pallets. The development attracted the attention of NASA due to its high autonomy. Apollo can operate almost around the clock, changing the battery independently every four hours.
Apptronik aims to develop the software of its machines so that they can perform tasks not only in warehouses and workshops, but also in various “unstructured spaces”, including the space environment. According to engineers, such an opportunity will arise in the coming years.
Previously at Russian Star City showed moon robot-centaur.