Robonaut 2 will Tweet from Space, oust HAL as mayor

Robonaut 2, the humanoid offspring of NASA and GM, is set to blast off to the International Space Station next month. The highly dexterous anthropomorphic robot is designed to ultimately assist crews with dangerous and repetitive tasks like space walks and uh, managing the Twitter feed. R2, as it's affectionately known, is still a prototype, and will be hitching a ride aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to test performance in microgravity. While there, R2 (or at least the team operating it) will be Tweeting live updates from the man cave via the @AstroRobonaut (hashtag #4R2) Twitter account. But please, for the love of humanity, somebody get that bot a Bumper... the last thing we need is a frustrated robot within arms' reach of 12.5 million newtons of liquid lightning.

[Shalabi Posted Aug 3rd 2010 9:46AM]

So that's how we defeat the machines; just get them hooked on social networks...in space!

[DrScope Posted Aug 3rd 2010 12:55PM]

@Shalabi It's not a robot till it can think on it's own but then again most facebook users don't think anyway XD

[KobaltKode Posted Aug 3rd 2010 3:39PM]

@Shalabi
Sounds like the perfect premise for a new Mystery Science Theater-esque show!

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Aug 3rd 2010 9:46AM]

One step closer to the first humanoid robot on Mars, before they colonise it as a base for their war against humanity.

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Aug 3rd 2010 9:49AM]

@AstroRobonaut has one of the best "following" lists i've seen.

[RonC Posted Aug 3rd 2010 9:59AM]

I bet that would make a great hugging machine. I'm lonely.

[Shalabi Posted Aug 3rd 2010 3:24PM]

@RonC Someone needs to insert themselves into a cold, steel, robot hole for a few hours.

[bailey12345 Posted Aug 3rd 2010 10:25AM]

@Darkroom but he is holding it with his left palm on the antena. Maybe he isn't ready for space if he can't hold a phone right.

[Templarian Posted Aug 3rd 2010 10:38AM]

@bailey12345, his hand is not made of the inferior fleshy material, so it should work just fine.

[Templarian Posted Aug 3rd 2010 10:39AM]

@Templarian ... other than clicking the screen. maXTouch for the win.

[GSGeek Posted Aug 3rd 2010 10:54AM]

A white iPhone for Robonaut, please.

[BQ Ninja Posted Aug 3rd 2010 11:38AM]

"@AstroRobonaut Daisy, daisy...."

[revlayle Posted Aug 3rd 2010 11:59AM]

Samus... they took your arm cannon and replaced it with an iPhone???

[BuzzMega Posted Aug 3rd 2010 12:05PM]

...e damn thing is in the food service module, drinking all the oi...

[VanNorden Posted Aug 3rd 2010 12:10PM]

"wait let me send this tweet to my wife to let her know how we're doing"

"I can't let you do that Dave..."

[xxz13xx Posted Aug 3rd 2010 5:57PM]

looks like a recon helmet XD