Robots and robotic technology have taken over the world in recent years, and now they are pursuing new goals to excel in space missions.
In a latest update, some European scientists have unveiled a ‘new robotic mission’ for the moon. The team of researchers believes that robotic technology can facilitate future space missions.
In addition, researchers from the University of Malaga’s Space Robotics Lab are participating in this project, testing and validating three robots on the volcanic island of Lanzarote, Spain.
The team unveiled a bold new mission concept where several robots work together to autonomously explore these extreme underground environments.
A trio of smart robots could hold the key to unlocking hidden lava tunnels and future bases on the moon and Mars, scientists say.
The recently tested system maps cave entrances, deploys sensors, lowers an exploration rover and creates detailed 3D maps of the interior.
They observed that lava tunnels on nearby planetary bodies are increasingly seen as strong candidates for future base camps and informed that these underground structures could naturally protect astronauts from harmful radiation and frequent meteorite impacts.
Despite their promise, reaching and studying these environments is extremely challenging due to rugged terrain, limited access points, and hazardous conditions.
Researchers introduced a four-phase pattern of autonomous exploration
The proposed mission will proceed in four carefully planned phases.
•First, the robots jointly map the area around the entrance to the lava tunnel.
•Next, a cube containing sensory payload is dropped into the cave to collect the first measurements.
•A reconnaissance rover then descends through the entrance to reach the interior.
•In the final phase, the robotic team examines the tunnel in depth and produces detailed 3D maps of the interior.
The trial highlighted the technical capabilities of the consortium led by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence DFKI, with contributions from the University of Malaga and the Spanish company GMV.
The results confirmed that the mission concept is technically feasible and demonstrated the broader potential of collaborative robotic systems.
The findings suggest that teams of autonomous robots could play a key role in future exploration missions to the moon or Mars.
The new work was recently published in the journal Science Robotics.
While the study also supports the continued development of advanced robotic technologies for planetary exploration.
Additionally, space scientists want to explore more unique techniques to accelerate space missions with more accuracy in the future.
