Rendering of the project
By Fang Boyi
STAR.VISION Aerospace Group Limited, in collaboration with Zhejiang University (ZJU) and Middle East Technical University (METU), has announced that its Miniature Exploration Robot Initiative has been selected for the Chang’e-8 International Cooperation Program, with plans to land on the Moon in 2028.
As the first Chinese private enterprise to participate in a national lunar exploration program, STAR.VISION has incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) into its proposal, enabling the robots to autonomously perceive, make decisions, and operate. “The Moon is approximately 380,000 kilometers away from Earth on average, and the lunar south pole has significant communication blind spots, which can cause communication delays of several minutes,” explained a project official. With the help of AI, the robots will function as a cohesive team to address communication delays and navigate complex environments by sharing data and distributing tasks. This is also the only program in the Chang’e-8 mission that involves multiple pieces of equipment.
The relevant technology underwent preliminary validation in 2024, and experimental testing is scheduled to begin in 2025. The project leader stated that this collaboration marks a milestone for China’s private space sector, transitioning from being an observer to an active participant, and propelling commercial space exploration into a new phase. It also represents a groundbreaking achievement in global space cooperation.