Five teams emerged as winners of the first round in ESA's lunar rover competition which took place on simulated Moon terrain. The European Space Agency is deeply involved in NASA's Artemis mission and the return of humans to the Moon. In fact, ESA's Service Module will be the primary power and propulsion component of the Orion spacecraft in its first uncrewed mission to the Moon.
ESA's contribution to space exploration is often eclipsed by NASA's powerful presence. However, its importance cannot be underestimated. Another symbol of the ESA's strong collaboration in space is the James Webb Space Telescope, which the agency developed alongside NASA. ESA is now focused on developing a wide range of lunar projects to help astronauts build a moonbase in the future.
ESA also four-legged robots from Boston Dynamics upgraded to be deployed in lunar missions.
Robotics For The New Era Of Space Exploration
The main goal of the Artemis mission is to establish a permanent scientific base on the Moon. Rovers and robots are key to finding, extracting, and processing volatile elements in this new space enterprise.
The simulated terrain where the rovers and robots battled to get a step closer to the Moon was built to imitate the harsh conditions of the South Pole. NASA explains that this region is filled with craters, gets little to no sunlight, and has extreme temperatures. During the competition, rovers located hidden ice and volatiles. The winners of the challenge identified the characteristics of the rocks and mapped out the safest route. One of these rovers or robots may one day help humanity establish a permanent base on the Moon.