Humans Love Space Robots- Say Hello To Robonaut They are about to boldly go where no man has gone before. “They” of course being the space robots. Ever since human beings have had the opportunity to explore space, we have sent up robots as surrogates, scouts, and partners. During a recent trip to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, I had the pleasure of seeing a couple of these bad boys up close and personal. This experience made me wonder, are robots the future of space travel? "NASA has explored with robots for more than a decade, from the stalwart rovers on Mars to R2 on the station," said Michael Gazarik, NASA's associate administrator for space technology in Washington. "Our investment in robotic technology development is helping us to bolster productivity by applying robotics technology and devices to fortify and enhance individual human capabilities, performance and safety in space." Meet Robonaut According to NASA’s own website, Robonaut is a dexterous humanoid robot that will help expand our ability for construction and discovery. NASA’s goal is to build machines with dexterity that exceeds that of a suited astronaut. This particular robot does exactly that which makes it different than most other space robots. Typical current space robots are complex systems such as robotic arms, cranes, and rovers. They are designed specifically to move larger objects from place to place. Robonaut is unique because it can complete tasks that require more skill and dexterity. This makes it an obvious asset in space. There are currently four Robonaut robots. NASA starting working on the first one back in 1996, and with the current advances in technology the engineers have drastically improved the capabilities. Right now we are living in an exciting time for space travel. Now, and in the future, robots will be a critical partner for humans in space exploration. Much like the future for all robots in space, the future for Robonaut is still unknown. NASA says that if testing inside the space station goes well, maybe someday Robonaut will get to go outside into the great vastness of space.