Fedor: The Robot

The FEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) robot is the humanoid robot sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on a planned two-week mission to support the crew and test its skills.

How will it work?

The FEDOR will be operated manually by ISS astronauts wearing robotic exoskeleton suits. The robot mirrors their movements. This will enable it to perform tasks that are risky for astronauts strapped onto an exoskeleton.

Similar Attempts

The FEDOR is Russia’s first robot in space and other countries have previously sent theirs. In 2011, NASA had sent up Robonaut 2, a humanoid developed with General Motors that had a similar aim of working in high-risk environments. Robonaut 2 was flown back to Earth in 2018 after experiencing technical problems. In 2013, Japan sent up a small robot called Kirobo, developed with Toyota. It was able to hold conversations in Japanese.