Russian scientists are currently training macaques to solve puzzles and use a joystick for a planned 2017 trip to Mars:
Each day a team, led by Inessa Kozlovskaya, trains the monkeys to control a joystick and hit a target highlighted by a cursor.
When they complete the task successfully they are rewarded with a sip of juice.
Once they have mastered this task the macaques will be trained to solve simple mathematical tasks and puzzles.
At the end of their training the creatures should be capable of completing a daily schedule of tasks on their own.
[...] Macaques typically have a lifespan of around 25 years, so it is hoped there is enough time to train them properly and for them to survive the six-month trip to Mars, added the team.
(Score: 4, Funny) by AnonymousCowardNoMore on Thursday October 29 2015, @04:47PM
Microsoft Monkey Colony on Mars [mslinux.org]
Microsoft has announced that a team of monkeys will be shot into space in 2005 to establish the first Martian Colony. At a recent press conference, Bill Gates confirmed, "We are already training the monkeys to do simple tasks like reboot the space ship when it blue screens..."
Looks like the Russians still have a chance to catch up.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 29 2015, @08:21PM
Wrong, Microsoft's Linux is actually called Azure Cloud Switch.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-showcases-the-azure-cloud-switch-acs/ [microsoft.com]
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Friday October 30 2015, @01:15AM
Reality always follows satire, sometimes 5 years, sometimes 15, but it's inevitable.