Codi, Charlie: Airbus’ futuristic robot rovers prep for Moon, Mars missions in UK

Airbus, the European aerospace company, has been actively conducting trials of next-generation robotic rover prototypes at a quarry in Bedfordshire, UK.

These wheeled robots could be used to explore the Earth’s natural satellite, the Moon, and even Mars.

The two robotic explorers — the four-wheeled rover Codi and the six-wheeled robot Charlie — are being evaluated for their performance in various conditions.

“The thing we are excited about the most at the moment is the moon. The moon is a stepping stone to Mars, so there is obviously a lot of interest in going back to the moon and you can envisage rovers being part of the lunar ecosystem,” Chris Draper, rover programme manager at Airbus, told the Guardian .

Introducing Codi and Charlie

Codi is equipped with navigation cameras and a robotic arm, allowing it to autonomously collect rocks and store them in sealed tubes. Interestingly, Codi holds the potential to “retrieve samples with an accuracy of around 10cm.”

On the other hand, Charlie has been designed with a specialized suspension system, known as a “rocker-bogie.” This will enable the rover to maneuver over obstacles twice as large as its wheels without getting stuck or tipping over.

Moreover, Charlie is serving as a test platform for a new navigation system developed for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, a European Space Agency mission set to launch in 2028. However, Airbus has not disclosed any details about the rovers.

Field trials are essential for ensuring the success of robotic missions that engage with alien landscapes. The lunar surface is littered with craters, rocks, and dust, which could pose a constant threat to rover mobility and survival.

The testing offers a chance to replicate real-world conditions, helping to identify potential flaws or weaknesses in robotic systems that might not be discovered in controlled environments.

Lunar exploration

The moon is the next big step in space exploration and rovers like Codi and Charlie could play a crucial role in future lunar missions.

NASA is planning to return astronauts to the Moon for a more ambitious mission: building a sustainable human base. And they have to build everything from scratch on the harsh terrain of the lunar surface. Robots can serve as invaluable companions to astronauts on the Moon, helping with various activities from construction to transporting things.

Apart from Airbus, several companies are actively involved in developing robotic rovers for lunar exploration. For instance, US-based Intuitive Machines is developing a series of lunar rovers for both scientific and commercial purposes. Another company, AstroLab, is designing a series of Flex rovers for crew travel on the lunar surface as well as carrying massive payloads.

Airbus has quite a few bold plans to advance space exploration.

Airbus is working on the development of Starlab , a new commercial space station, to replace the International Space Station when it retires at the end of the decade. For this, the company has partnered with Voyager Space (USA) and Mitsubishi Corporation (Japan) to develop and operate the Starlab.