NASA and GM to send human-like robot into space for the first time

Both humans and robots have explored the final frontier, but for the first time a human-like robot is going to be sent into space to aid the astronauts on the International Space Station. Known as Robonaut 2 (or endearingly, R2), the two-armed 'bot is the result of a venture by NASA and General Motors, and will help the researchers involved identify in what ways a robot could be a help to human explorers in space. Before it gets to go on its first space walk, however, it'll be monitored to see how well it deals with weightlessness.

It's worth noting that this isn't really the first "robotic man" to head to orbit, as R2 isn't bipedal — its lower body is commonly a set of four wheels instead of legs. It will be the first time a robot mimicking a human form is sent to help astronauts, however, and as robots are seen as the future of space exploration, it's a pretty big first step. R2 goes up to the ISS in September aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

Via The New York Times

Space Hotel Visionary Proposes Modified "Orion Lite" Spaceship for NASA

Bigelow Airspace's concept is for low Earth-orbit missions only

By Jeremy Hsu Posted 08.14.2009

Inside Orion Lite: Are we in space yet? Bigelow Aerospace

Future space hotel moguls can get nervous when NASA's next-generation spaceship plans begin to founder. So one company has come up with a modified "Lite" design of the planned Orion vehicle to carry astronauts and paying passengers into orbit.

Bigelow Aerospace has long envisioned launching inflatable space station called Sundancer, and so improving passenger access to low Earth-orbit has remained a priority.

The company has already quietly briefed a White House-appointed panel on its suggested design. Space News reports that Bigelow has also received help from prime Orion contractor Lockheed Martin.

Bigelow's modified Orion design would eliminate the propellant tanks and robust heat shields necessary for a moon mission, and instead only aim for low Earth-orbit. An unusual landing system would also involve midair retrieval after atmospheric reentry, rather than the typical ocean splashdown. NASA and the military have previously used such midair capture techniques with helicopters.

The weight savings of Orion Lite could allow launch of a human-rated Orion aboard an existing Atlas 5 rocket within three or four years, instead of NASA's shaky original deadline of 2015.

One Bigelow officer even mentioned that the modified Orion could also launch aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

PopSci previously took a grand tour of Bigelow's orbital space modules that could someday house high-flying space tourists. But no word yet on whether future Orion passengers would get mints inside their space helmets.