Russia launches humanoid robot into space
ARussianhumanoidrobotwas making its way on Thursday to the InternationalSpaceStation after blasting off on a two-week mission to support the crew and test his skills.
Known asFEDOR, which stands for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research, the Skybot F-850 is the firsthumanoidrobotto be sent tospacebyRussia.
NASA senthumanoidrobotRobonaut 2 tospacein 2011 to work in hazardous environments.
"Therobot's main purpose is to be used in operations that are especially dangerous for humans onboardspacecraft and in outerspace,"Russianspaceagency Roscosmos said on Thursday after the launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
The ISS is a joint project of thespaceagencies of the United States,Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.
Travelling in an unmanned Soyuz MS-14spacecraft,FEDORis expected to dock at the ISS on Saturday with 1,450 pounds (660 kg) of cargo including medical supplies and food rations for the crew waiting at the station, NASA said.
FEDOR, who is the size an adult and can emulate movements of the human body, has embraced his mission, describing himself as "an assistant to the ISS crew" on his Twitter page, which has 4,600 followers.
"Everything is normal," a tweet posted on his account said a few hours into his flight.