JohnHunt
05-01-2010, 12:08 AM
"In an ambitious new project unveiled on April 27, an Osaka-area business group has vowed to put a humanoid robot on the moon by 2015.
"Wheels may be more practical than legs, but SOHLA board member Noriyuki Yoshida sees an advantage in robots that look like people. “Humanoid robots are glamorous, and they tend to get people fired up,” he says. “We hope to develop a charming robot to fulfill the dream of going to space.”
"JAXA plans to send their first robot rover to the moon in or around 2015, and SOHLA hopes their Maido-kun humanoid will be able to hitch a ride on the same mission.
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Obama said that America wouldn't return to the moon be cause, "bluntly, we've already been there before". How can you achieve Glory if you have already done it before? How can you inspire kids with a repeat of 40 year old accomplishments?
Well, I disagree on two points and I think that this article illustrates why.
1) This time we wouldn't be returning for the purpose of Glory. Rather it would be for Development, Colonization, Economics, and potentially Survival. Yes, we've been on the moon. But we didn't go to obtain resources nor to stay. This time around it will be for entirely different purposes.
2) Yes, kids will be inspired by men landing on Mars. Absolutely! But they will also be inspired to go into careers of math and science by watching and participating some cute, humanoid, plucky-named robot working on the moon. And then, that robonauts friends could tour classrooms around the nation speaking with, interacting with, and taking pictures with them. There isn't just one way to inspire kids.
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What I'm also seeing here is potentially international consortium in the making. Just like Canada headed up the robotic arm on the shuttle and the ISS, likewise, we are seeing Japan being interested in a humanoid robonaut. What better country than Japan to take the lead on that. Russia's contribution could be inexpensive reliable Soyuz deliveries. USA / xPrize could handle a standardized lunar lander. The Moon Society and others could work out details on a moon base and hydroponic gardening. England, Germany etc could provide all sorts of equipment for the lunar base. China could provide the first taikonaut to land on the moon after the base had been robotically prepared.
It would be a great international successor to the ISS including new start-up commercial companies.
In fact, if the contribution of the USA were limited to something like the lander and later astronauts then the USA might be able to fit that in within the current Obama plans to send people to Mars.
"Wheels may be more practical than legs, but SOHLA board member Noriyuki Yoshida sees an advantage in robots that look like people. “Humanoid robots are glamorous, and they tend to get people fired up,” he says. “We hope to develop a charming robot to fulfill the dream of going to space.”
"JAXA plans to send their first robot rover to the moon in or around 2015, and SOHLA hopes their Maido-kun humanoid will be able to hitch a ride on the same mission.
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Obama said that America wouldn't return to the moon be cause, "bluntly, we've already been there before". How can you achieve Glory if you have already done it before? How can you inspire kids with a repeat of 40 year old accomplishments?
Well, I disagree on two points and I think that this article illustrates why.
1) This time we wouldn't be returning for the purpose of Glory. Rather it would be for Development, Colonization, Economics, and potentially Survival. Yes, we've been on the moon. But we didn't go to obtain resources nor to stay. This time around it will be for entirely different purposes.
2) Yes, kids will be inspired by men landing on Mars. Absolutely! But they will also be inspired to go into careers of math and science by watching and participating some cute, humanoid, plucky-named robot working on the moon. And then, that robonauts friends could tour classrooms around the nation speaking with, interacting with, and taking pictures with them. There isn't just one way to inspire kids.
--------
What I'm also seeing here is potentially international consortium in the making. Just like Canada headed up the robotic arm on the shuttle and the ISS, likewise, we are seeing Japan being interested in a humanoid robonaut. What better country than Japan to take the lead on that. Russia's contribution could be inexpensive reliable Soyuz deliveries. USA / xPrize could handle a standardized lunar lander. The Moon Society and others could work out details on a moon base and hydroponic gardening. England, Germany etc could provide all sorts of equipment for the lunar base. China could provide the first taikonaut to land on the moon after the base had been robotically prepared.
It would be a great international successor to the ISS including new start-up commercial companies.
In fact, if the contribution of the USA were limited to something like the lander and later astronauts then the USA might be able to fit that in within the current Obama plans to send people to Mars.