Meet SpaceBok: Legged, Jumping Robot to Explore the Moon and Mars

For lower gravity environments like the Moon, Mars, or asteroids, jumping can be a very efficient way to get around. "SpaceBok" is a quadruped robot designed by a student team from ETH Zurich and ZHAW Zurich. The robot is being tested using Automation and Robotics Laboratories (ARL) facilities at ESA 's technical center in the Netherlands. The robot is being used to investigate the potential of "dynamic walking" and jumping to get around in low-gravity environments. Dynamic walking allows for gaits with full-flight phases, during which all legs are off the ground. SpaceBok could potentially go up to 2-m high in lunar gravity. Like a spacecraft, the robot uses a reaction wheel to control its orientation.