The dexterous humanoid astronaut helper is secured to a base plate to Effectively Protect Robonaut.

In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, Robonaut 2, or R2, is secured to a base plate, which is part of its launch box called SLEEPR, or Structural Launch Enclosure to Effectively Protect Robonaut.

R2 will fly to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery on the STS-133 mission. Although it 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 space station. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin