ROBOTS IN SPACE Outside the International Space a storage area The two-armed robot spins Station ISS a robot named Dextre grabs a battery from around through space He snaps the battery into its slot The robotic handyman has just changed some of the station’s batteries They power the ISS when its solar panels are not in direct sunlight Dextre’s full name is the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator The robot joined the ISS crew in 2008 Its job is to do repairs outside the station It also helps unload cargo Dextre helps astronauts with jobs outside the space station
Dextre isn’t the only robot in space Several robots work on the ISS Humans have been using robots to explore the solar system for decades Robotic explorers have been to every planet in the solar system There DESIGNING ROBOTS DEXTRE Dextre was designed by the Canadian Space Agency It is part of the ISS’s Mobile Servicing System This robotic system moves equipment and supplies around the station Other parts of this system include a large robotic arm the Canadarm2 Dextre can attach itself to this arm Its own arms have seven joints that can move in almost any direction Its hands are grippers with multiple tools Dextre can use other equipment such as an external leak detection tool have been 20 robotic missions to Mars alone WHAT IS A ROBOT A robot is a machine that can be programmed to do tasks Some robots are operated remotely Others make decisions on their own They make these choices based on their programming and the world around them Robots that can make
Robots are important partners for astronauts decisions like this have artificial intelligence AI Space robots include robotic arms robotic spacecraft and even humanoid robots WHY USE ROBOTS IN SPACE Robots can go where humans can’t go Robotic explorers can spend years flying through space
