Dane Andreas Mogensen took control of the Interact Centaur rover while in orbit 250miles above the Earth, using it to place a peg in a narrow hole.
Dane Andreas Mogensen took control of the Interact Centaur rover while in orbit 250miles above the Earth, using it to place a peg in a narrow hole. Photo / Getty Images
He was able to manoeuvre the £145,000 fibre glass robot in real time, thanks to fast signals bouncing off a complex system of satellites. A camera on the front of the machine allowed Mr Mogensen to see what he was doing, while physical feedback was provided through a joystick.
Andre Schiele, head of the European Space Agency's telerobotics laboratory, said the technology would allow people to carry out 'human-like tasks' on the surface of another planet.
He said this would be vital for the construction of a colony on Mars, for example, but added the technology could also be used on Earth 'everywhere you don't want to send humans' - such as dealing with meltdowns at nuclear reactors.
The 18-month project was a collaboration between the ESA and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
