AI robots to explore lunar lava tubes
Japanese lunar exploration company ispace and Chuo University are assessing the feasibility of transporting AI-equipped robots to the Moon to explore lava tubes from 2028 onwards.
The project will focus on ‘evolvable swarm robots that can share intelligence to settle in unknown and unexplored areas’ and will be led by Professor Yasuharu Kunii from Chuo University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering.
“The signing of this memorandum is a primary example of ispace providing opportunities for technology demonstrations on the Moon as part of the Japanese government’s Cabinet Office Moonshot Research and Development Program,” Takeshi Hakamada, founder & CEO of ispace, said in a statement. “As part of our business model, ispace will support pioneering projects by providing transportation services to landing sites that meet the needs of our customers.”
Lava tubes form when a volcanic eruption sends lava flowing in channels on the ground. The surface of the lava flow cools and forms a crust on top, while the hot lava keeps flowing underneath, forming a tunnel.
Because the temperature inside lava tubes changes little and the risk of radiation and meteorites is reduced, it is expected that they could be used to build future manned exploration bases in.
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