European Team Maps Lanzarote Lava Tube With 3 Robots for Future Moon, Mars Bases
Updated
Updated · artthreat.net · Jun 1
European Team Maps Lanzarote Lava Tube With 3 Robots for Future Moon, Mars Bases
2 articles · Updated · artthreat.net · Jun 1
Three autonomous robots successfully descended into Lanzarote’s La Corona lava tunnel and built 3D maps in a field test aimed at scouting future Moon and Mars base sites.
The mission targeted lava tubes because their rock walls could shield astronauts from radiation, extreme temperature swings and meteor impacts on both worlds.
ESA-backed researchers used the GPS-free, sunless tunnel to mimic lunar and Martian conditions, with the robots making real-time decisions without constant human control.
Science Robotics published the results, which showed heterogeneous robots can navigate and cooperate underground, though darkness and sensor interference still need work before off-world deployment.
Kilometre-scale lava cavities on the Moon and Mars are seen as potential shelters for bases and possible reservoirs of frozen water or traces of life.
Could robots soon find alien life hidden inside the dark volcanic tunnels of Mars?
Are underground Martian cities a safe haven or a potential trap for future colonists?
How will we transform these mapped alien caves into humanity's first off-world cities?
CoRob-X Field Trials in Lanzarote: Europe’s Key Step in Robotic Exploration of Extraterrestrial Lava Tubes
Overview
In February 2023, a European research consortium achieved a major milestone by successfully completing field trials in Lanzarote, where autonomous robots demonstrated advanced abilities in exploring lava caves. This breakthrough marks a significant step toward building future space habitats, as these trials served as a crucial analog for missions to the Moon and Mars. The research focused on cooperative robotic exploration of planetary skylight surfaces and lava caves, using a heterogeneous team of autonomous robots. These efforts highlight the promise of using such robotic teams to navigate and map complex underground environments that could one day shelter human settlements beyond Earth.