The first robotic crew member to tweet from the International Space Station

Space · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Meet R2, a robot designed to document its own journey into orbit. This video tracks its transition from rigorous testing in Houston to its scheduled voyage aboard Discovery.

R2 is set to become a unique addition to the STS-133 mission, traveling to the International Space Station. Before launch, the robot underwent months of upgrades and testing at NASA's Johnson Space Center. It was then moved to Kennedy Space Center for final packing and preparation.

The project highlights a new era of orbital documentation where robots act as crew members, capturing their own preparations and stay in space to provide a unique perspective on life aboard the station.

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