AI-Equipped Swarm Robots Set to Explore Lunar Lava Tubes by 2028

Japanese lunar exploration company Ispace and Chuo University have formalized a partnership to assess the feasibility of deploying AI-equipped robots to explore lunar lava tubes starting in 2028.

The project, led by Professor Yasuharu Kunii from Chuo University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, will focus on developing “evolvable swarm robots that can share intelligence to settle in unknown and unexplored areas.”

This initiative represents a strategic collaboration between private industry and academic research, with space providing transportation services to specific lunar landing sites that align with the project’s exploration needs. The project falls under the Japanese government’s Cabinet Office Moonshot Research and Development Program, highlighting its national significance.

“As part of our business model, ispace will support pioneering projects by providing transportation services to landing sites that meet the needs of our customers,” said Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of space, in an official statement.

The core technology driving this mission centres on swarm robotics—a field that uses multiple small, relatively simple robots that work together through distributed intelligence. Swarm robotics offers redundancy, adaptability, and the ability to cover larger areas more efficiently, unlike traditional single-robot missions.

Professor Kunii’s research team is developing “network intelligence,” where low-function small robots organize themselves automatically through distributed AI systems. Each robot in the swarm carries a portion of the collective intelligence, creating a robust exploration system that can withstand the failure of individual units.

Lunar lava tubes form through volcanic processes similar to those on Earth. When a volcanic eruption sends lava across the surface, the exterior cools and forms a crust. In contrast, hot lava flows underneath, eventually creating hollow tunnels as the flow subsides.

These geological formations offer three primary advantages for potential human habitation:

1. Temperature Stability: The interior of lava tubes maintains relatively constant temperatures, shielding from the extreme lunar surface temperature swings of +121°C to -133°C.
2. Radiation Protection: The overhead rock layer provides natural shielding from cosmic radiation and solar flares, reducing astronauts’ long-term health risks.
3. Meteorite Impact Protection: The solid rock ceiling offers physical protection from micrometeorite impacts common on the lunar surface.

“I am confident that by shedding light on the future potential of using difficult environments, such as the underground space in the Moon, we can grasp the future of humanity and contribute to the expansion of our knowledge,” stated Professor Kunii.

The project timeline aims for initial deployment by 2028, with full-scale exploration beginning by 2030. Before deployment, the team faces several technical hurdles:

• Developing robots that can navigate the uneven terrain and potential drops within lava tubes
• Creating reliable communication systems that work within and beyond the tubes
• Ensuring the AI decision-making systems function with minimal human oversight
• Designing hardware that withstands lunar dust, radiation, and temperature conditions

An additional challenge lies in the entry points to lava tubes, which typically feature steep slopes or vertical drops that robots must navigate safely. The team is exploring specialized mobility systems allowing controlled descent into these openings.

If successful, the data collected by these swarm robots could inform future lunar base design. The project aims to identify and survey habitable areas within lava tubes, create detailed maps of internal structures, assess structural stability, and measure radiation levels.

“The synergy between our Moonshot team’s AI and robot exploration mission technology and ispace’s transportation technology will create the next Japanese and world firsts in Japan’s space exploration technology,” Professor Kunii explained.

The findings could accelerate the timeline for establishing semi-permanent or permanent lunar habitats, supporting NASA’s Artemis program goals and international lunar exploration initiatives. The knowledge gained may also transfer to Mars exploration, where similar lava tube formations have been identified.

The Chuo University research team will showcase their swarm robotics technology at the 2025 International Space Industry Exhibition (ISIEX) from January 29 to 31, 2025, at Tokyo Big Sight. This exhibition will provide industry professionals and the public with an opportunity to understand the technical approaches being developed.

The presentation will highlight the robots’ autonomous movement capabilities and collaborative intelligence systems designed for exploration in unknown environments. This forms part of broader efforts to engage stakeholders and the public with the technical challenges and potential benefits of lunar subsurface exploration.

The collaboration between Ispace and Chuo University represents a significant step forward in the capabilities of lunar exploration. By leveraging AI-driven swarm robotics, the project aims to gather critical data about lunar lava tubes that could enable future human presence on the Moon.

If the mission succeeds, it will provide valuable engineering insights into autonomous robotic exploration of extreme environments while potentially identifying suitable locations for future lunar habitats. As private and government space programs continue to develop lunar infrastructure, underground habitats may prove essential for long-term human presence beyond Earth.