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SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is taking off today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida, sending an AI-activated sphere-shaped robot companion to keep the company from flying. ISS
The European CIMON robot, equipped with a video screen smiley, is packed aboard an undecoupled Dragon capsule with nearly three tons of additional experiments and supplies for the space station .
= canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm "type =" text "content =" The launch arrived at 5:41 AM (2:41 AM PST) after a countdown without problems. sunrise, producing spectacular views of the illuminated escape plume in the sky . "data-reactid =" 15 "> Launch at 5:41 am ET (2:41 PT) after a trouble-free countdown.The rocket ascended to the east just before sunrise, producing spectacular views of the illuminated exhaust plume in the sky
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) –sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content "I'm glad to have had the opportunity to see the dragon's tail in person," said one of the spectators, Taylor Harris, . in a tweet . "data-reactid =" 16 ">" I am pleased to have had the opportunity to see the Dragon's Tail in person, "said one of the spectators, Taylor Harris, in a tweet .The 9th floor booster and the Dragon have both already been flown – but today, SpaceX has not tried to recover the booster a second time, mainly because the model was rendered obsolete.Instead, the first step fell in the Atlantic while the second stage pushed the Dragon into orbit.
The cargo capsule must arrive at the space station on Monday.
Other experimental robotic assistants were sent to the station, including the free flying spheres as well as Robonaut 2, an android that was equipped with manoeuverable arms and legs.But CIMON is the first bot built to converse with human crew members, thanks to the technology Watson's IBM Artificial Intelligence e
The name of the robot, pronounced as "Simon", is an acronym for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion. 19659007] CIMON is intended to pave the way for future flying machines that could provide advice and a friendly face to astronauts working in space
"Studies show that demanding tasks are less stressful if they are accomplished in the space. "During a series of experiments, CIMON will help the German astronaut Alexander Gerst to conduct crystal experiments, solving a puzzle of Rubik's. Cube-based videos, and serve as intelligent flying camera for medical experiments.
CIMON's facial recognition system is programmed to recognize Gerst (but not the other five spacefliers on the station, at least for the moment). Voice-activated spaceball can read checklists for a given procedure, or make small conversations on the fly.
Here's a sample of CIMON's humor: "I'm R2-D2 … I'm laughing!"
is equipped with a power off button – just in case the space station crew gets sick of his jokes, or he shows signs of turning into the HAL computer villain of "2001: A Space Odyssey."
"canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = " To learn more about the scientific load of the Dragon , see this NASA report "data-reactid =" 30 "> To learn more about the scientific load of the Dragon, check out this NASA report.
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