China has announced that its planned Chang’e-8 mission will feature a new robotic “Moon mechanic.” This robot, the team behind it explains, will act like a construction worker to help assemble and lug equipment around once deployed.

Developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the robot weighs around 220 pounds (100kg) and has 4 wheels to move across the rough Lunar surface. Unlike previous moon rover-type robots, this new one comes with a pair of robotic arms for handling and manipulating tools.

This is important as most existing tools and systems for space programs are designed around how the human body works, specifically astronauts’ arms and hands.

So, without redesigning these tools, it makes sense to produce robots that can use them too.

Chang’e-8 to get a robot porter

“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 explained.

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

According to the design team, it also comes with artificial intelligence (AI) to enable it to operate semi-autonomously. This combination of rover wheels and humanoid robot arms is designed to get the best of both worlds when on the moon.

The wheels will provide excellent reliability and energy efficiency for traversing the Lunar surface, while the arms provide great dexterity to manipulate objects. According to the team, when the lander reaches the moon’s surface, the robot will deploy to carry out tasks like carrying scientific instruments and placing sensors in specific locations.

It will also act as a “porter” to install equipment, potentially help build infrastructure, and collect lunar soil/rock samples. To this end, the robot symbolizes changes in moon missions’ objectives from pure observation and sample collection to more of an on-site engineering project.

Planned future missions, like Chang’e-8, will see limited infrastructure setup and deployment of a network of sensors. It will also be used as a test-bed for long-term habitation and preparatory work for permanent bases.

Why the Lunar South Pole?

As for the mission itself, China is targeting the South Pole as it is believed this part of the moon likely has craters that contain ice. This part of the moon also tends to see near-continuous sunlight.

If true, then these craters, specifically the ice, could be processed to provide potable water for astronauts to drink, oxygen for them to breathe, and also be used as a raw resource for on-site rocket fuel production. That would make it a very valuable Lunar resource.

Teams of robots could then, in theory, be used in teams to build infrastructure to tap this resource, but also mine it directly. They could also be used to run vital maintenance works on future moon bases.

When seen in this light, the Chang’e-8 robot will be an important proof-of-concept/test bed for this concept.