Hopping SpaceBok Robot to Help Explore the Moon

The machine has been developed by a student team from the Swiss Higher School of Technology and Zurich University of Applied Sciences. The device is specifically designed to operate under low gravity conditions.

Lunar gravity makes it difficult for astronauts to move around wearing a spacesuit – Apollo 11 mission astronauts faced that problem 50 years ago. It turned out that it was much easier to hop around by jumping off the surface: kangaroos and African gazelles move around pretty much in the same manner.

The SpaceBok robot was created for space exploration, so the same method of movement was implemented in it. The device can jump up to 2 meters high, its speed is comparable to that of a horse galloping.

SpaceBok jumps using the springs built into its limbs that absorb energy during the landing and use it for the next jump.

The machine is currently being tested on Earth under simulated gravity conditions. As the next step, engineers will test the robot’s ability to overcome obstacles.