NASA Needs Robots for Endeavor Mission
By Jared Newman
In NASA’s most technical mission ever, three robots will assist a manned crew in expanding part of the International Space Station. When the shuttle docks, a robotic arm will grab a four-ton “front porch” for part of a larger Japanese laboratory. The arm will hold the porch in place while another robot works its way over from the station to the shuttle. A handoff will be made, and the moving robot will set the porch in place. After all that, a third robotic arm will deliver payloads to the porch. Seven similar handoffs will occur throughout the mission. Not that the astronauts will have an easy time; the mission will include five spacewalks. At least the robotic arms will be on the scene, providing information through cameras. [via ComputerWorld]
