Humanoid robot may fly on China's Chang'e 8 moon mission in 2028

A Chinese mission to test resource technologies at the moon's south pole is taking shape — and may even include a humanoid form.

Wang Qiong, chief designer of the Chang'e 8 lunar mission, recently presented an update on the project in Beijing, according to a post on Chinese social media. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 and will aim to land near the moon's south pole. There it will conduct in-situ resource utilization technology tests — potentially using 3D-printing techniques to make a brick out of lunar regolith. It will also carry terrestrial ecosystem experiments.

The new post shows slides detailing the Chang'e 8 spacecraft that will conduct the mission. The four-legged lander, derived from China's previous successful Chang'e lunar landings, will carry an array of science equipment, including cameras, telescopes and a seismometer. It will also feature a crane that will deploy payloads and spacecraft on the lunar surface. 

The lander carries a six-wheeled rover, similar to earlier Chang'e mission Yutu rovers, which will be armed with a panoramic camera, a lunar penetrating radar, an infrared spectrometer and a sample analysis and storage payload.

A further spacecraft, with four wheels and a humanoid-shaped top, is also noted in Wang's presentation. It is unclear what the purpose of the spacecraft is, or the importance of its intriguing appearance.

Related: China unveils video of its moon base plans, which weirdly includes a NASA space shuttle 

Chang'e 8 is, along with the 2026 Chang'e 7 mission, a precursor to China's planned International Lunar Research Station, which the country aims to construct in the 2030s with involvement from Russia and other partners.