The Japanese company Takara Tomy, together with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has developed
The robot, weighing about 255 grams and about 8 cm in diameter, is made from a combination of aluminum and plastic that can withstand extreme temperature changes on the Moon.
Takara Tomy says that afterUpon landing, the SORA-Q module will roll out of the craft in the shape of a ball. After that, it transforms and turns into a controlled lunar rover. The robot is equipped with a camera that will film the lander and the surroundings of the landing site. Once the mission is completed, SORA-Q will remain on the Moon.
Image: JAXA
Takara Tomy noted that the experience of making children's toys helped them develop a small machine that can navigate the lunar surface efficiently.
"Now that this lunar robot is going tospace, we hope that more people, especially children, will become interested in space,” said Kenta Hashiba, developer of the Sora-Q project from Takara Tomy.
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