MoonBot: Modular and On-demand Reconfigurable Robot Towards Moon Base Construction

The allure of lunar surface exploration and development has recently captured widespread global attention. Robots have proved to indispensable for exploring uncharted terrains, uncovering and leveraging local resources, and facilitating the construction of future human habitats. In this paper, we introduce MoonBot, a modular and reconfigurable robotic system engineered to maximize functionality while operating within the stringent mass constraints of lunar payloads and adapting to varying environmental conditions and task requirements. This paper details the design and development of MoonBot and presents a preliminary field demonstration that validates the proof of concept through the execution of milestone tasks simulating the establishment of lunar infrastructure. These tasks include essential civil engineering operations, infrastructural component transportation and deployment, and assistive operations with inflatable modules. Furthermore, we systematically summarize the lessons learned during testing, focusing on the connector design providing valuable insights for the advancement of modular robotic systems in future lunar missions.