Engineers and scientists from NASA and General Motors are working at the Johnson Space Center to construct and in September a new humanoid robot capable of working together and helping the crew to the International Space Station (IS, for its acronym in English .)

The unit, to be called ‘Robonaut-2’ or ‘R2’, it is faster and has the most advanced technology in the field, allowing you to use their hands to experiment working with tools, working safely with their peers or even perform the functions “more dangerous.” “A need between Earth and space,” NASA said.

Thus, weighs 150 kilos and has a head, torso, two arms and two hands, to be sent to the orbital outpost after summer on the shuttle ‘Discovery’.

“These cutting-edge robots represent great promise not only for NASA but for the whole country. I’m very happy about the new opportunities afforded by the robot to the human and robotic exploration, thanks to the wide range of operations that can contribute,” said one of the leaders of the Directorate of Space Exploration Systems at NASA in Washington, Doug Cooke.

NASA explains that the idea of using robots in the aerospace industry is not new, since the first ‘Rowboat’, a humanoid robot designed for space travel, was built ten years ago with the software of the decade.

“Our challenge today is to build machines that can help humans to work and explore space. Working closely with humans, or they assume the main risks for space exploration, the machines as ‘Robonaut-2’ may increase our capabilities, “the director Johnson Space Center, Mike Coats.

In this way, NASA intends to maintain the first few months in module ‘Destiny’ of the IS, then be able to move throughout the facility with full independence. Currently, the Johnson Space Center remains at ‘A-2’ on trial period.