Program 13, Episode 303

Tech Watch

In recent years manned space travel has been relegated to short flights close to Earth's orbit. However, with the push for manned travel to Mars and the Moon researchers will need to make improvements in the development of systems and technologies related to space flight.

With these new developments the job of an astronaut will become much more complex. In addition to the necessary tasks astronauts need to perform on a daily basis, there will be a much greater learning curve to accomplish all the missions' goals. With this problem in mind, researchers at NASA have developed a new type of robot called the Personal Satellite Assistant or PSA. This robot will help astronauts perform their tasks while freeing up precious time for other activities.

Additional Information
http://ic.arc.nasa.gov/projects/psa/