Valkyrie, NASA's Robot Humanoid Will Replace Astronauts

JAKARTA In July, the United States Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) collaborated with Woodside Energy, an oil and gas exploration company, to test the Valkyrie robot.

The energy company will use Valkyrie to see the results of its software. From this test, Woodside will provide research and feedback data to NASA to accelerate the capabilities of the technology.

While in Woodside, Valkyrie will work in dirty and dangerous conditions. This operation is important because the test site is considered equivalent to the long-term work location of the Artemis mission, namely landing and exploration of the Moon.

Valkyrie or robot R5 is NASA's first bipedal humanoid robot. The robot was originally built by the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Technical Directorate to compete in the 2013 DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) Trial.

This two-legged robot is designed to work in a degraded human environment. Therefore, this robot is designed strong and sturdy in terms of battery power, head sensors, weapons in the arms, to body parts such as hips and legs.

JSC only took 15 months to make Valkyrie. After this robot was exhibited at DRC 2013, JSC re-modified and designed the robot to improve its performance and perception capabilities.

Now, the R5 robot is designed to replace the role of astronauts on the Moon. If possible, the robot will be launched to the Moon and Mars to explore and utilize material resources to help astronauts survive there.

In other words, Valkyrie is only used to assist difficult astronaut tasks and not to completely replace the role of astronauts. However, there is a possibility this robot is landed on the surface of the moon and Mars without the presence of native astronauts there.

If Valkyrie is landed alone, humans only need to keep an eye on the robot from Earth. The robot will be assigned to tedious and repetitive work, while humans will focus on more important tasks, including maintenance of the robot.