Semi-Autonomous Legged Robots Could Accelerate Mars and Moon Exploration

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:43:00 +0200

A recent study published in Frontiers in Space Technologies explores the potential of four-legged robots, like Anybotics' ANYmal, for planetary exploration on Mars and the Moon. Unlike traditional wheeled rovers, legged robots can navigate steep, fractured, and uneven terrain, opening access to previously unreachable areas. Equipped with a robotic arm, a microscopic imager, and a Raman spectrometer, ANYmal can autonomously identify and analyze geological targets, including minerals and rock textures, providing data crucial for astrobiology and resource utilization. The study tested two exploration strategies: a semi-autonomous multi-target approach, where the robot independently completed tasks, and a human-guided approach. Results showed that the semi-autonomous method significantly reduced mission time while maintaining high target identification accuracy, demonstrating the potential for faster, more efficient exploration. These advances are particularly important given communication