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Japan Will Send a Transforming Robot Ball to the Moon

posted by martyb on Friday June 04 2021, @08:30PM   
from the having-a-ball-with-science dept.

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for Runaway1956:

Japan will send a transforming robot ball to the Moon:

Japan is prepping an unusual robot to explore the Moon — and it's clearly influenced by the country's tech industry. The Byte reports that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has teamed up with Sony, Doshisha University and toy maker Tomy on a ball-shaped transforming robot to study the lunar soil ahead of a crewed rover due in 2029.

The 8.8oz bot will arrive in a compact ball that will help the private robotics company Ispace carry the machine aboard its lunar lander. Once on the surface, it'll pop open into a "full" configuration that captures images of the Moon's surface. This will also make the robot useful for future missions, JAXA said.

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Original Submission

• Cheese! Cheese! (Score: 2) by looorg on Friday June 04 2021, @08:46PM (1 child)

  by looorg (578) on Friday June 04 2021, @08:46PM (#1141878)

  The transformers jokes write themselves, just imagine this comment transforming into something funny/insightful/informative/interesting/troll/spam ...

  That said it's transforming into a camera to take pictures of surface/dirt ... it seems somewhat underwhelming. Don't we have a fair amount of pictures of the moon already? From all heights, directions and whatever.

  • Re:Cheese! (Score: 2) by krishnoid on Friday June 04 2021, @09:25PM

    by krishnoid (1156) on Friday June 04 2021, @09:25PM (#1141882)

    Sure, but these photos will be in, like, 16-bit color.

    Parent

• Image capture is good Image capture is good (Score: 2) by krishnoid on Friday June 04 2021, @08:48PM (1 child)

  by krishnoid (1156) on Friday June 04 2021, @08:48PM (#1141879)

  Along with capturing any other foreign elements [youtu.be] on the surface. Or destroying them, either is good.

  • Re:Image capture is good (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 04 2021, @09:34PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 04 2021, @09:34PM (#1141888)

    I want to see it take pictures of the US landers and buggys to help moon landing deniers get over it.
    Still can't find any modern hi-rez orbital pics of that stuff!

    Also, BB-8's Grandpa.

    Parent

• never seen before ... never seen before ... (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 04 2021, @08:59PM (1 child)

  by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 04 2021, @08:59PM (#1141880)

  i hope it fails and approaches at a very flat angle, bounces once and flies back into space. hopefully in one piece. and with the camera intact and recording...

  • Re:never seen before ... (Score: 2) by Tork on Friday June 04 2021, @11:19PM

    by Tork (3914) on Friday June 04 2021, @11:19PM (#1141910)

    ... shouting "SPAAAAAAACE!" [youtube.com]

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    🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

    Parent

• I thought SN was a BIPOC ally I thought SN was a BIPOC ally (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 05 2021, @06:05AM (1 child)

  by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 05 2021, @06:05AM (#1141976)

  This story is not helping to amplify Black and Brown voices.

  • Re:I thought SN was a BIPOC ally (Score: 2) by Tork on Saturday June 05 2021, @02:33PM

    by Tork (3914) on Saturday June 05 2021, @02:33PM (#1142042)

    "Soylent News isn't living up to my ridiculous caricature of them." 🙄

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    🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

    Parent

• Won't end well (Score: 2) by Farmer Tim on Saturday June 05 2021, @09:56AM

  by Farmer Tim (6490) on Saturday June 05 2021, @09:56AM (#1142006)

  Which part of "do not taunt super happy fun ball" do they not understand?

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  Came for the news, stayed for the soap opera.