MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. Scientists from St. Petersburg and Moscow have worked out the project of a mobile robotic geologist for future lunar missions, Director and Chief Designer of the Central Research and Development Institute for Robotics and Technical Cybernetics Alexander Lopota told TASS on Monday.
"Jointly with the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences and for their tasks of geological exploration of the Moon, the Central Research and Development Institute for Robotics and Technical Cybernetics has developed the project of a mobile robotic geologist for carrying out explorations on the Moon, including with the help of wells’ exploring and drilling equipment," Lopota said.
The geologist robot’s chassis will be suitable "for mobile robotic assistants at the stage of building a lunar base," the chief designer said.
Section Head at the Lavochkin Research and Production Association Yevgeny Vlasenkov earlier told TASS about the R&D work, which the company had carried out to develop a lunar geological rover. The experimental design work on it will begin, only if this project is included in Russia’s new federal space program.