Mix-and-match kit could enable astronauts to build a menagerie of lunar exploration bots

The system’s parts include worm-inspired robotic limbs that an astronaut can easily snap onto a base, and that work together as a walking robot. When astronauts begin to build a permanent base on the moon, as NASA plans to do in the coming years, they’ll need help. The design is flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective.”Lordos’ team has built and demonstrated a six-legged WORMS robot. In 2022, NASA challenged students to develop robotic systems that can move across extreme terrain, without the use of wheels. These bigger parts could be snapped together to build “pack” bots, capable of transporting heavy payloads.