14 DAY TRIAL // A lot of different meanings can be attributed to this image. It shows the left arm of Robonaut-2 (left) extending towards the right arm of an astronaut wearing a glove. Above all, it symbolizes the coexistence and collaboration of man and machine in space.
Robonaut-2 is an android developed by NASA and General Motors, whose primary function is to aid astronauts aboard the International Space Station with completing their daily tasks. In the future, it will enter active use during extra-vehicular activities.
The machine was developed so that it could work alongside humans. It has numerous sensors on its surface, which enable it to exert only the minimum amount of force necessary to complete a given task.
One cannot help but notice the parallels between this image and the one Leonardo da Vinci painted on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, showing God and Man extending their arms towards each other.