Robot Dogs Could Be Next For Moon Exploration

Plenty of us have heard that dogs are a human’s best friend, but what about being the moon’s buddy, too? Believe it or not, but it seems robot dogs could be next for moon exploration. While various space organizations have worked toward making things that can explore that great ball of rock in the sky, it seems the ESA has another idea up its sleeve.

While it’s still in its early days, it seems the Artemis program, which is set to get astronauts back to the moon before the 2020s are out, could be the inspiration behind the robot dogs. At least they would be easier to look after than our four-legged friends, but fetch might be a little tricky.

LEAP is set to make exploring the moon easier

The Legged Exploration of the Aristarchus Plateau, better known as LEAP, is set to explore areas of the moon that have been almost untouchable until now. Aristarchus is yet to be explored to its fullest, and that’s something the European Space Agency - ESA - wants to change. The ESA are the ones funding the project, with engineer Patrick Bambach explaining they hope to “study the geologic history and evolution of the moon.” This means everything from existing structures to “collapsed lava tubes” and “fresh impact sites.” 

The robot dogs are based on ANYmal and ANYbotics

If you’re one to keep up with the latest robots on the market, you might think the idea of sending robot dogs to the moon sounds a little familiar - and you’d be right. There are already a set of robots on Earth designed around our four-legged friends. ETH Zürich are the ones behind the ANYmal and ANYbotics, which use animal-like gaits and know how to flip themselves back over. To top it off, their robots can also climb steeper slopes than traditional rovers and also know how to flip things over or dig into the ground in search of something.

Traditional rovers have their limitations

For years, space organizations have relied on typical rovers to see what lies out there in space. While they’re great for exploration and searching new planets or moons, they also come with their limitations. Slopes over 15 degrees have apparently long been a struggle when sending rovers to other planets. That, teamed with terrain covered in large boulders or loose soil, can often mean it’s particularly challenging to get around. After all, Spirit, a Mars rover, had to have its mission terminated after it got stuck in the sand. 

Robot dogs could reach previously unseen areas of the moon

One of the best things about robot dogs is they have already proven to be better than rovers in tests on Earth. Apparently, even the researchers are surprised by how intelligent the machines are, claiming it changed its walk to a “jumping-like mode of locomotion,” much like an astronaut when the dog realized it was more energy efficient. To top it off, the robot dogs should be able to carry sensors so they know where to dig and what to flip over to see what’s underneath. As if all of that wasn’t enough, the robot dogs should weigh under 110 pounds and will be able to see previously unseen areas of the moon.

It turns out that robot dogs could be next for moon exploration - and for a host of reasons. Se well as being able to venture into areas that have been previously unseen, they might just prove to be the goodest boys on the space mission before long.