Canadian Space Agency and NASA officers temporarily stopped plans to test a Canadian-made robot that was installed on the International Space Station earlier in the year, referencing fears that it might become marooned on the station’s Canadarm 2. The Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, also known as Dextre, is the $200-million extension of the Canadian-made Mobile Servicing System, which permits astronauts to pick up and move large objects and help perform repairs on the outside the orbiting platform.

Dextre was scheduled this week to be tested and perform a series of jobs, including ones involving being attached to the station’s robotic arm.  However, it has been experiencing power problems, which forced it to be grounded.

On Tuesday the space agency deferred the tests till CSA engineers could assure NASA the robot would not break down while tied to the Canadarm 2. NASA is being additionally wary about keeping the Canadarm 2 free because it’s going to be required for the arriving of the shuttle Discovery in February . Discovery is booked to launch on February 12, 2009, and deliver the 4th and last set of solar arrays to the station. The Canadarm 2 will be required  to install the truss structure holding the array to the station. NASA desires to finish the construction of the space station by 2010, when the space shuttles are going to be retired.