Space Soldier

The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, just unveiled test footage of a semi-autonomous robot named Fedor that will be sent up to the International Space Station next Thursday.

The robot, which was previously shown aiming and firing guns in a 2017 video, is expected to help Russia develop and construct future bases and settlements on the Moon or other planets, according to Daily Mail. If its stint in space goes well, the humanoid robot could help pave the way for humans to settle the cosmos.

Human Assist

Fedor is capable of handling some specific tasks autonomously, but a human operator back on Earth will help it along the way. The robot is programmed to mimic the movements of a human wearing a sort of exoskeleton-turned-remote control.

But left to its own devices, Fedor can target and grab objects, right itself when it falls over, and, in the above video, pass the time by doing some push-ups — it remains to be seen which of those skills will be most useful in outer space.

READ MORE: Putin’s robo-nauts prepare for lift-off: Russia’s space agency releases eerie footage of human-like android Fedor as he gets ready to board the International Space Station crew next week [Daily Mail]

More on space settlements: Elon Musk: Mars City Could Cost up to $10 Trillion