In the quest for new sources of rare minerals, researchers have turned their attention to the moon. Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) have successfully tested a group of robots that can search for resources on the lunar surface. The team used three robots from the ANYmal series to complete the complex task. The first robot can scan the terrain using a laser scanner and various optical sensors, classify geological features, and perform spectral analyses to provide initial indications of the chemical composition of rock samples. The second robot has a microscopy camera and a Raman spectrometer for more detailed analyses of the rock. The third robot can perform mapping tasks and analyze rock samples, but its hardware is simpler and its precision is limited.
Using multiple robots has two advantages. Each robot can perform specialized tasks simultaneously, and a team of robots can compensate for the failure of a team member. The Swiss scientists tested the robots in Switzerland and at the European Space Resources Innovation Center (ESRIC) in Luxembourg. The tests at ESRIC were part of an international competition for lunar exploration robots, which was conducted in a simulated lunar environment. The collaborative robots of the Swiss scientists, which also involved employees of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, won the competition. The win secured the scientists a one-year research grant to optimize the robots.
The plan is to expand the robot team, including the integration of wheeled robots that can move faster on less complex terrain than their legged counterparts. Additionally, the team plans to design flying robots that can transmit exploration data from a bird’s-eye view to the rest of the robots for future missions. With the successful testing of these robots, the possibility of mining rare minerals on the moon is becoming more feasible.
