NASA is preparing the CADRE mission, which involves sending three autonomous rovers to the Moon. The launch is scheduled for 2026. Each robot is equipped with solar panels, cameras, and a computing system for independent navigation and decision-making.
The rovers will land in the Reiner Gamma region on the Moon's near side. Their primary task is to explore the surface and subsurface layers using cameras and ground-penetrating radar. The robots will independently determine routes, avoid obstacles, and coordinate tasks among themselves via a base station.
Due to extreme lunar conditions, including surface temperatures reaching 114 degrees Celsius and heat generated by onboard computing, the robots will operate in 30-minute cycles. Each cycle includes a period of activity followed by a shutdown for cooling and recharging via solar power.
The mission is designed to last 14 days to test collaborative autonomous operations in real lunar environments. This project builds upon autonomous navigation technologies previously implemented in NASA's Mars missions, such as those used by the Perseverance rover.
