Although the robot, also known as Valkyrie, isn't as graceful as a prima ballerina or as quick on its feet as a hip-hop dancer, the new video proves this machine can move on its own. This is a function essential to NASA's ultimate goal of using robots to explore Mars and other worlds.

It's incredible that Valkyrie, at 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and 290 lbs. (130 kilograms) in weight, is able to move with even a little grace and balance. Yet, the video shows the robot's ability to shift its weight from foot to foot as well as balance on one foot while leaning both backward and forward.

Valkyrie was initially designed to aid in disaster relief, as a search-and-rescue robot. In November, however, NASA awarded two of the robots to university research teams for further research and development. One of the robots went to Northeastern University in Boston and one went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. NASA said it hopes to someday send Valkyrie to Mars to prepare the planet for later human exploration.