China unveils humanoid robot for Moon mission

China has unveiled a 100-kilogram AI-powered humanoid robot developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) for its 2029 Chang’e-8 Moon mission. The robot, equipped with a humanoid upper body and two arms mounted on a four-wheeled solar-panel module, will transport and install scientific instruments at various lunar locations in preparation for a crewed landing. HKUST professor Gao Yang stated the robot will operate autonomously using onboard AI to identify and trace objects, enabling strategic task execution. Unlike Chang’e-7’s planned south pole landing, this robot will explore a different region of the lunar south pole, offering novel insights into its terrain. China aims to send humans to the Moon by 2030, accelerating its ambitious space program over recent decades. Meanwhile, NASA’s Artemis IV mission targets a crewed lunar return by 2028, though delays in SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS) development—including unresolved orbital refueling challenges—have raised concerns about meeting this timeline. A 2021 Senate Committee hearing warned that NASA’s complex architecture, requiring multiple launches and untested cryogenic refueling, could push the U.S. behind China in the lunar race. SpaceX’s Starship has completed only two test flights so far, with the next launch pending, further complicating NASA’s schedule. The HKUST robot’s mission underscores China’s growing capabilities in robotic lunar exploration, positioning it as a key player in future Moon missions.