Managers from NASA and General Motors answer media questions on the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper known as Robonaut.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, managers from NASA and General Motors answer media questions on the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, known as Robonaut. Robonaut 2 (R2) will be delivered to the International Space Station on space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission. Although R2 will initially only participate in operational tests, upgrades could eventually allow the robot to realize its true purpose -- helping spacewalking astronauts with tasks outside the orbiting laboratory.

For more information on the upcoming STS-133 mission, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller