NASA’s Robonaut Now Comes with Terrifying, Grabby Doctor Octopus Legs

Thanks, NASA. Now we'll have to live with this thing flying over our heads.
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NASA’s current International Space Station robot is unable to get around on its own, and honestly, we’d feel safer that way after seeing the nightmare that is the new version with legs. Now we’re just wondering how long we’ll be safe before someone welds this thing to Alfred Molina’s back.

They can call it Robonaut all they want; we know Doctor Octopus arms when we see them. We’ll forever refer to this as Doctor Octonaut, thank you very much.

The legs even have little cameras on the ends for some Sam Raimi-style horror video of its victim’s last moments. (Or, you know, to help it accurately grab things and maneuver itself around the inside and outside of the ISS. Whatever.) Skip towards the end of the video to see it use them to move itself around.

OK, it will help reduce the risks involved in the astronauts’ duties by gaining the ability to go outside and perform space walks some time early in the new year, but just look at how smug it gets about its 9-foot leg-span:

Screen Shot 2013-12-10 at 3.19.15 PM

“What? I don’t even care. I’ll come at you with just my foot-pinchers.”

(via Universe Today, image via ReelNASA on YouTube)

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Dan Van Winkle
Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct Geekosystem (RIP), and then at The Mary Sue starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at Smash Bros.