Russia's space agency releases eerie footage of human-like android Fedor

Putin’s robo-nauts prepare for lift-off: Russia’s space agency releases eerie footage of human-like android Fedor as he gets ready to board the International Space Station crew next week

Fedor will be launched on board Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft to the ISS from Baikonur cosmodrome on 22 August
Here, it can be seen being tested ahead of its flight at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, central Asia
Footage shows the cyborg steering vehicles, gripping items and navigating various space travel scenarios

Published: 14:44 BST, 13 August 2019 | Updated: 14:45 BST, 13 August 2019

Russia‘s space agency has released eerie footage of its human-like android which will board the International Space Station next week.

Nicknamed Fedor – which stands for Final Experimental Demonstration Research – the anthropomorphous machine was seen undergoing a battery of stress-tests at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Dubbed Putin’s robo-naut, the machine can be seen determining targets and honing in on specific points, such as steering wheels, which will surely come in handy while they’re in orbit.

The scenes come ahead of its inclusion on the unmanned Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft on 22 August 2019.

Space-bound: Nicknamed Fedor – which stands for Final Experimental Demonstration Research – the anthropomorphous machine was seen undergoing a battery of stress-tests at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan

In action: Dubbed Putin’s robo-naut, the machine can be seen determining targets and honing in on specific points, such as steering wheels, which will surely come in handy while they’re in orbit

On time: Putin’s deputy premier, Dmitry Rogozin, claimed the war in Syria had shown Russia the importance of robots in difficult environments, and promised Fedor would make its space debut in five years – a deadline it will soon meet

Fedor stands 6-foot tall, weighs no less than 233 pounds depending on extra equipment, and can lift up to 44 pounds of cargo.

The robot can ‘crawl, stand up after falling down, take and leave driver’s seat in a car, use tools and operate in a regular building’.

Impressively, some of the first images of Fedor showed the humanoid pumping iron, walking, driving a car and using power tools.

Russian experts hope it will one day be able to help build a base on the moon.

A key task for Fedor will be to ‘assist in construction and use of bases’ on the moon and potentially other planets, said its Russian designers FPI.

‘During space walking missions and on other planets, astronauts will rely on robots,’ said Sergei Khurs, head of the project and director of the National Center for Technology Development and Basic Robotics.

Mimicking human ability: The robot can ‘crawl, stand up after falling down, take and leave driver’s seat in a car, use tools and operate in a regular building’

Preparing for take-off: Robot Fedor will be launched on board of unmanned Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft to the ISS from Baikonur cosmodrome on 22 August 2019

Fedor was first unveiled in December 2016 and is part of Vladimir Putin’s strategic plan to conquer the moon for Russia

Big plans: A key task for Fedor will be to ‘assist in construction and use of bases’ on the moon and potentially other planets, said its Russian designers FPI

WHAT IS FEDOR?

Fedor is the name of a Russian human-like robot which will be sent to the ISS.

Formally known as Final Experimental Demonstration Research it will be sent to the ISS via an unmanned Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft next week.

The robot can ‘crawl, stand up after falling down, take and leave driver’s seat in a car, use tools and operate in a regular building’.

It is six foot tall and weighs 233 pounds when not carrying extra cargo.

It is also capable of carrying up to 44 pounds of cargo.

It mimics the movement of a human, who will remain on Earth, and is versatile enough that footage has emerged of it lifting weights, walking, driving and using tools.

Russian experts hope it will one day be able to help build a base on the moon.

Fedor was first unveiled in December 2016 and is part of Vladimir Putin’s strategic plan to conquer the moon for Russia.

Putin’s deputy premier, Dmitry Rogozin, claimed the war in Syria had shown Russia the importance of robots in difficult environments, and promised Fedor would make its space debut in five years – a deadline it will soon meet.

Previously, Putin has instructed his space chiefs to make a first landing on the moon within 15 years.

Fedor stands 6-foot tall, weighs no less than 233 pounds depending on extra equipment, and can lift up to 44 pounds of cargo

A team of engineers ensure that Fedor can hone-in on key targets and and operate them, much like a human astronaut

WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION?

The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (£80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.

Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen.

ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology.

The US space agency, Nasa, spends about $3 billion (£2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, a level of funding that is endorsed by the Trump administration and Congress.

A U.S. House of Representatives committee that oversees Nasa has begun looking at whether to extend the program beyond 2024.

Alternatively the money could be used to speed up planned human space initiatives to the moon and Mars.

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