Russian, Japanese companies plan to jointly design moon robot, TASS
“Russia’s Android Technology Company and Japan’s GITAI startup plan to create a robot to operate on the lunar surface, the Russian company’s executive director, Yevgeny Dudorov, told TASS. “We will sign a cooperation agreement. Later, we will outline joint plans for 2020, 2021 and other years,” Dudorov said, adding that the deal would be signed soon. Once the joint project is a success, the sides will present their developments to the national space agencies – Russia’s Roscosmos and Japan’s JAXA.”
Keith’s note: Check out the picture. I wonder which parent the Moon droid will resemble. The Japanese droid is designed to be friendly. The Russian droid shoots machine guns. Meanwhile no one talks about NASA’s Robonaut any more.
– A Strange Tweet From Russian Space Droid Fedor, earlier post
– Russian Space Robot Fyodor / Robonaut/R5 Valkyrie Cage Match Cancelled, earlier post
– Hey NASA: This Is The Droid You Should Be Looking For, earlier post
Will it have a rod and a spine?
Boston Dynamics robots beet them all….
Of course, that explains it. Russia is developing a Space Marines Corps which doesn’t require life support systems. Why else would FEDOR be programmed to handle firearms. And Japan, while staying within the self-defense provisions of their constitution, may be concerned about repelling boarders on future space stations. After all, they do have a large neighbor to the west with a past habit of using, er…, vigorous methods to acquire territory.