Summary:

 

Robonaut 2 (R2) is a highly dexterous humanoid robot built by NASA’s Johnson Space Center and General Motors. Designed for EVA‑level manipulation, R2 features human‑like hands, advanced vision systems, and a torso‑mounted “brain” that enables fine motor control in hazardous environments. It launched to the ISS on Space Shuttle Discovery (STS‑133) in 2011, becoming the first humanoid robot in orbit.

 

Editorial:

 

Robonaut 2: The Most Important Humanoid NASA Ever Built

 

R2 wasn’t created to replace astronauts — it was created to extend them.  

NASA needed a robot that could handle tools, operate switches, turn knobs, and perform maintenance in microgravity with the same dexterity as a gloved astronaut. R2’s tendon‑driven hands, high‑resolution vision, and torque‑sensing joints made it the first robot capable of EVA‑class manipulation.

 

Its deployment to the ISS marked a turning point: humanoids weren’t just research projects anymore — they were crew members. R2’s work provided critical data for future planetary robotics, including lunar and Martian surface assistants.

 

Today, R2 stands as the most influential space‑grade humanoid ever built, and its technology suite continues to be licensed across medical, industrial, and hazardous‑environment robotics.

 

Specifications:

 

| Category | Details |

|---------|---------|

| Developer | NASA Johnson Space Center + General Motors |

| Model | Robonaut 2 (R2) |

| Type | Space‑grade humanoid robot |

| Height | ~1.0–1.2 m (torso‑only configuration) |

| Weight | ~150 kg (ISS configuration) |

| Degrees of Freedom | 42 DoF (full configuration) |

| Hands | 5‑finger tendon‑driven dexterous hands |

| Sensors | Stereo vision, IR sensors, tactile sensors, force‑torque sensing |

| Compute | Torso‑mounted processing unit (“thinks with its stomach”) |

| Mobility | Torso‑only on ISS; later prototypes included legs |

| Launch | 2011, Space Shuttle Discovery (STS‑133) |

| Primary Use | ISS maintenance, tool handling, hazardous‑environment tasks |

| Status | Retired; on display at Smithsonian Udvar‑Hazy Center |

 

Image: @revoeciov

 

Company Source:

 

NASA Johnson Space Center — Dexterous Robotics Laboratory
https://www.nasa.gov/robonaut/

 

Key News & Coverage:

 

NASA — Robonaut 2 Overview (Official)

https://www.nasa.gov/robonaut/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ3-_zz_yYI