The research team of the Beijing Space Shuttle Systems Institute said that this robot is designed as an important infrastructure part of China's lunar research station expected to be built in 2035.
This type of robot has a special design when the upper body is human-like, while the lower part is a wheel-based movement platform. This structure aims to combine the maneuverability of wheel robots with the flexibility of human-like arms.
According to scientists, robots can move on the surface of the moon and perform many tasks such as building, maintaining equipment, conducting scientific experiments, collecting and analyzing specimens.
The robot design was published in the scientific journal Journal of Deep Space Exploration in December 2025.
One of the notable features is that the robot's belt can rotate about 180 degrees in both directions, and can also bend forward up to 90 degrees, helping to expand the operating range when working with devices or materials on the surface of the moon.
The robot arm is equipped with a flexible hand with four free steps, allowing for precise operations such as holding tools, assembling equipment, or processing geological samples.
According to the research team, combining flexible mobility and flexible operation helps the robot adapt to the harsh environment on the moon, where humans can hardly work continuously for long periods of time.
The half-human robot is expected to support automation tasks in infrastructure construction, reducing the dangerous workload for astronauts in long-term exploration programs.
China is currently promoting a plan to build an international research station on the moon with partners, with the goal of completing basic infrastructure around the mid-2030s.
In this strategy, robots and automation systems are considered key factors for construction, equipment transportation and supporting scientific activities before humans can regularly be present on the surface of the moon.
Scientists believe that the development of specialized robots like this will help reduce costs and risks for space missions, while paving the way for research and extraction of extraterrestrial resources in the future.
