The University of Bremen and its partners are advancing new research for the exploration of both the Moon and Mars, as highlighted in a recent Handelskammer article. In both domains, teams are developing efficient and reliable methods for deploying autonomous robots under the harsh environmental conditions of extraterrestrial bodies.

In collaboration with the DLR and DFKI, researchers from the University of Bremen contributed to a regolith-processing robotic system that Team Bremen successfully demonstrated during the ESA Space Resources Challenge. Their approach illustrates how the autonomous robots could gather and sort lunar soil to support resource extraction essential for sustainable lunar exploration.

For Mars exploration, the VaMEx-3 consortium — comprising its broad network of partners — recently validated the capabilities and interaction of its systems in a stone pit selected for its similarity to Martian terrain. The large-scale experiment brought together 14 robots operating across the physical test site and its virtual Mars twin, showcasing the impressive coordination required for future missions.