China is sending a new kind of explorer to the moon – with a humanoid upper body and four wheels.

The 100kg (220lbs) robot will transport, deploy and install instruments and sensors at their designated lunar locations after the Chang’e-8 probe lands. It is also tasked with collecting samples of the moon’s surface.

“We have heard that Chang’e-7 is probably going to see the first humanoid robot landing on the [moon’s] south pole. But our robot will go to a different part of the south pole – it is a very large area and we are curious about all of it,” HKUST professor Gao Yang said on April 29.

“This will be a novel demonstration of humanoid robotics on the moon and by China. We are very proud of this design,” she said.

Gao directs the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Centre which developed the robot in collaboration with 30 universities and space organisations in Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas.