Robot will be attached, begin duties today

Now that the space station's new robot is fully assembled, astronauts prepared to attach the giant machine directly to the orbiting outpost for the first time on Tuesday.

Astronauts Richard Linnehan and Robert Behnken went on a spacewalk Monday to add a tool belt and two cameras that will serve as the robot's eyes as it helps maintain the station.

The robot, called Dextre, flew in pieces to the station aboard the shuttle Endeavour. It has been assembled over the course of three spacewalks. So far, the 12-foot robot and both of its 11-foot arms have checked out fine.