Michigan Born Astronaut and ISS Crew Getting Robot Friend
SpaceX will try again today to launch supplies and something called CIMON up to the International Space Station, where Michigan born astronaut Christina Koch is spending some time with her fellow crew members. According to the United Press International, CIMON is a robot built by Airbus, IBM and the German Aerospace Center.
CIMON stands for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion -- and is capable of holding conversations with astronauts and helping them remember procedures. It's also there to monitor their mood in case of problems on board. This is a new, updated version of CIMON. The first version of CIMON was sent to the ISS last year. When that first one came on board, it had a full conversation with a German astronaut, Alexander Gerston. When CIMON started playing music, Gerston told CIMON to stop playing the music and CIMON told Gerston, "Be nice to me." So, apparently, CIMON can be a little touchy.
You know who was also in space to monitor astronauts and could be a little touchy?