The robot Dextre
gets a tour of the International Space Station (ISS), courtesy of the station's
own robotic arm.
Dextre,
also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), arrived at ISS with
the space shuttle Endeavour. Astronauts assembled the 12-foot (3.7 meter) robot
by adding hands, arms, camera eyes, and a utility belt during the course of three
long spacewalks, part of the longest ISS construction mission ever. The
$209-million robot represents the latest Canadian contribution that can serve
as a robotic repairman and cut down on human spacewalks.
The robot's
gradual appearance of coming to life prompted astronauts to nickname it "Gigantor"
and "Frankenstein." By the end, shuttle commander Dominic Gorie
quipped that the finished Dextre looked "like a gunfighter with his
sidearm raised" and was ready for action.
-- NASA and SPACE.com Staff
Credit: NASA
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