A new species in space?

[ankh_hpl]

After a successful launch yesterday, shuttle Discovery is due at the space station tomorrow afternoon -- and the all-veteran human crew isn't alone.  

Riding along with them is the first ever humanoid robot crew member, Robonaut 2.  Or R2.  (You saw that coming, right?)    Although it's technically only half a humanoid robot (upper half) and still crated, R2 looks like a pretty impressive addition to the station's crew complement -- or a pretty spooky one.  This one looks very humanoid, and will be able to use the same tools its human compatriots do.

For the full story on R2 -- including links to YouTube videos and interview clips with the robot's developers -- check here.

R2 won't be returning to Earth with the rest of the crew, though -- or returning at all.  It will be spending the rest of its career in space, unless future generations of nonhuman citizens lobby for its retirement with full medical benefits.