Japan sending humanoid robot to the moon by 2015

As the US prepares to send NASA's humanoid Robonaut2 up to the International Space Station in September, Japan's private SOHLA (Space Oriented Higashiosaka Leading Association) is gearing up to send its own two-legged robot to the moon by 2015. The $10.5 million robot named "Maido-kun" is being developed in coordination with the Space Exploration Agency of Japan (JAXA), an organization that has been trying to send robots to the moon since at least 2006. Oh sure, there's little reason to send a wobbling two-legged robotic rover to the crater-pocked face of the moon when four-on-the-floor would be much more practical -- other than it's awesome.

[pika2000 Posted Apr 29th 2010 5:53AM]

You know, at first I thought the robot would be a Maid (meido). Wouldn't be surprising though. LOL.

[ThundaChunky Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:12AM]

@pika2000

This is so stupid. It's like giving Skynet the nuclear launch codes. Again. The 'bots are only gonna use the moon to build their HQ and plan the hostile takeover of Earth. Well I'm not having that shit!

*Cocks shotgun and chugs Bud Light*

[zeroinfinity2 Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:22AM]

@pika2000

*cocks shotgun*

I hate robots.

/l4d

[mrpixel Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:33AM]

@ThundaChunky I would like to watch that movie :)

...on second thought...Blade Runner has a similar script, only they don't take over.

[mrpixel Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:37AM]

@pika2000 Or Mega Maid from Spaceballs. The place needs a bit of a clean.

[DarKlar Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:04AM]

@mrpixel Mega Meido?

[moofree Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:29AM]

@pika2000 Mahoromatic on the moon...
@Gainax: Do it.

[enGadget iGadget Posted Apr 29th 2010 8:21AM]

@ThundaChunky

A shotgun? What the hell?

*cocks nuclear missile launcher and laser bazookas*

[shadowj0 Posted Apr 29th 2010 9:49AM]

Damn it, autopilot!

Get back here!!!

[albinomexi Posted Apr 29th 2010 9:51AM]

It's iRobot up in that bitch.
*cocks shotgun*

[shadowj0 Posted Apr 29th 2010 10:04AM]

@shadowj0

DAMN! Forgot the *cocks shotgun* part.

*cocks shotgun*

[loqueid Posted Apr 29th 2010 10:31AM]

@ThundaChunky You don't know much, do you? Gundam's were made to SAVE the earth from our OWN use of nuclear weapons and launch codes. Although, I feel bad for some of us. Something will surely fall out of a Lagrange point to show us the situation is grim.

[Slvrgun Posted Apr 29th 2010 12:10PM]

@mrpixel All that got damn dust. Sure does.

[merikaklon Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:19PM]

@ThundaChunky I really prefer if they can create gundam on outerspace.. But I have a feeling this plan is better than that LCROSS bombing. http://bit.ly/moon-bombing-astronauts-tweeted

[StewieGriffin Posted Apr 29th 2010 5:58AM]

not if autobots get their first...Michael Bay, you know what to do.

[pika2000 Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:08AM]

@StewieGriffin Microman was already there, way ahead of the Autobots.

[SolidSnake Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:10AM]

@StewieGriffin
Gundams vs. Autobots.
Fight!

[tonicboy Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:15AM]

@StewieGriffin
Get their first what?

[onlymyrailgun Posted Apr 29th 2010 12:26PM]

@knAuz
Dude, Optimus got raped by Megatron. He already got eliminated.
Using the All Spark is ruled as cheating.

[GN7S Posted Apr 29th 2010 5:59AM]

I'll be waiting to see this happen.

[Warzone Posted Apr 29th 2010 5:59AM]

Gundam!

[SolidSnake Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:09AM]

Gundams on the moon = win

[elduderino Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:06AM]

@SolidSnake
turn-A

[shizbgby Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:11AM]

@SolidSnake Super Win!

[lexitu Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:10AM]

Did they take that picture using Photo Booth on a Mac?

[Twitchy Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:12AM]

And they shall call it °Moon Base Alpha°

[ThundaChunky Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:15AM]

@lexitu

No Optimus used his new Nikon D700. He's pretty damn good.

[Outsider Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:21AM]

This is so stupid. Why plan for something past 2012?

[munakib Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:47AM]

@Outsider
Mwhahaha

[AndrewNeo Posted Apr 29th 2010 2:34PM]

@Outsider To get all the budget money -now-, duh!

[I Fling Poo Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:29AM]

Anyone else pissed off that the US can't do anything like this because our shuttle program will be gone in 3 missions?
Our embarrassing. We have to hitch a ride with the Russians.

[z0phi3l Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:49AM]

@I Fling Poo But but, it will save money, we need to make sure w can feed the freeloaders, that's more important than science, so says The Prez

[anodos Posted Apr 29th 2010 9:07AM]

@I Fling Poo

The US hasn't been able to go to the moon since we retired the Saturn V. The shuttles couldn't leave earth's orbit.

[Alexa Posted Apr 29th 2010 2:29PM]

@I Fling Poo I thought this is exactly what the US was planning now, unmanned space missions?

[paul34 Posted Apr 29th 2010 2:46PM]

@I Fling Poo

The shuttle can't make it to the moon; never could. Your post is invalidated.

[mocax Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:31AM]

them japanese will create buster machines that can bounce planets around like basketballs... i tell y'all.....

[digivid Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:34AM]

I'm not an engineer, but it seems to make sense to send a two-legged robot to the moon. Much better maneuverability than something on wheels, and having less gravity with no wind probably means it's easier to balance than on earth (hopefully robotics have progressed far since the day ASIMO fell down the stairs).

[darkmax Posted Apr 29th 2010 11:04AM]

@digivid

Well, I agree. a biped with usable arms will be able to handle steeper terrain than a multi-wheeler.

[Robo Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:48AM]

I couldn't see the whole picture with this windowed, but I had little doubt what it would be.

Upon scrolling down, I was not disappointed.

[jediknight999 Posted Apr 29th 2010 6:50AM]

the Japanese do love their robots

[cashclientel Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:07AM]

What is the point of this?
Unless the robots are solar powered?
They could start building a moon base?
Or mine out loads of whatever is in the moon (helium-3 aka 'cheese') and then another robot can go up to pick it up.
Thus we have space-commerce.

[Amusednow Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:17AM]

So will a robot trigger the monolith or just a humans presence?

Oh yeah update the dam stock Gundam images, you know maybe something from 00 or Unicorn?

[Trevsweb Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:19AM]

chuck a few robot vaccums up there wont be so dusty then :D

[genomecop Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:30AM]

Moon denizens are already laughing.

[heymoa Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:31AM]

I don't get it, why don't they wrap a C64 in tin foil and race up there tomorrow like the US did all those years ago.....hmmm

[benderfender Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:40AM]

to boldly go where no humanoid robot has gone before.

[benderfender Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:41AM]

@benderfender one more thing, bite my shiny metal @$$.

[ngko Posted Apr 29th 2010 7:50AM]

Japan might send Goldorak or the Power Rangers.

[Sieg Posted Apr 29th 2010 8:02AM]

I knew that giant Gundam was real!
thank you Engadget. you just made my day with that pic ^.^

[incognito Posted Apr 29th 2010 8:03AM]

We're whalers on the moon,
We carry a harpoon...
For they ain't no whales,
So we tell tall tales,
And sing our whaling tune...