General Motors to send robot to space

Robonaut 2

General Motors has developed a robot that will be sent to the International Space station later this year.

The human-like machine, called Robonaut 2 (R2), has been jointly developed with US space agency NASA.

The prototype stage R2 will be flying aboard the STS-133 mission this September to the International Space Station. Once there it will share space duties with astronauts using it’s human like body to carry out multiple tasks in the stations Destiny laboratory.

The R2 robot has also been designed to work alongside workers at GM’s manufacturing plants right here on Earth.

At present the 136kg robot features a head, torso, two arms and two hands. Future enhancements for the R2 are also in the pipeline and could see its role increase to even moving about outside the station on spacewalks.