8 NASA Robots That Will Study The Mysteries Of Space - Summary

Summary

In February 2011, NASA sent Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot to space, to the International Space Station. It experienced technical issues but is set to return after repairs. NASA also plans to send Dragonfly, a drone, to Titan, Saturn's moon, to explore its potential for life. Other robots like Lemur, Ice Swarm, and Robo Simian have unique abilities for space exploration. The Mars 2020 Rover aims to search for signs of life on Mars and create a future transport system for Martian samples. Moxie is designed to generate oxygen on Mars, the Mars Chopper tests flying capabilities, and Astro Bees assist astronauts with routine tasks on the International Space Station.

Facts

Sure, here are the key facts extracted from the text:

**Facts from the First Part of the Text:**

1. In February 2011, the International Space Station housed six astronauts.
2. Robonaut 2 was the first humanoid robot sent to space.
3. Robonaut 2 spent about four years on the space station before experiencing a malfunction in 2015.
4. NASA retrieved Robonaut 2 in 2018 after repairs.
5. NASA plans to send more unique robots to space in the near future.
6. Dragonfly is a multi-rotor vehicle heading to Titan, Saturn's moon, to study its surface, which is covered in liquid methane and ethane.
7. Dragonfly aims to explore the possibility of life on Titan.
8. Lemur is a four-limbed robot designed for tasks like repairs on the International Space Station.
9. Lemur uses 16 fingers with tiny fishhooks and artificial intelligence to scale walls and obstacles.
10. The Ice Swarm consists of pocket-sized micro climbers inspired by Lemur's technology.
11. These micro climbers can cling to rough surfaces or smooth walls and are strong enough to survive 9-foot drops.
12. Gecko-inspired adhesive technology is being explored for repairing spacecraft or exploring the Moon and Mars.

**Facts from the Second Part of the Text:**

13. The Mars 2020 Rover, based on the Curiosity rover, will search for past and present habitable conditions and signs of life on Mars.
14. It features a new drill to collect and store soil and rock samples for potential return to Earth.
15. Moxie, the Mars Oxygen In Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, aims to produce oxygen on Mars for fuel and breathing.
16. The Mars Chopper is a solar-powered helicopter designed to prove that heavier-than-air vehicles can fly on other planets.
17. It faces the challenge of Mars' thin atmosphere.
18. Engineers are developing grippers for the Mars Chopper to cling to cliffsides.
19. There's another Lemur-inspired robot with fishhook technology in development.
20. Astro B consists of three free-floating cubes named Honey, Queen, and Bumble, which are designed to assist astronauts with routine tasks on the space station.