Coyote III – Resource Extraction on the Moon

Space AI strengthens Europe’s technological sovereignty and competitiveness. Intelligent systems open up new scope for action – wherever humans reach their physical or cognitive limits. They enable autonomous robotics for planetary exploration, AI-supported data analysis for satellite missions, virtual training environments for space travelers, and innovative manufacturing and safety concepts for critical infrastructure. At the same time, they provide impetus for applications on Earth – from industry and medicine to environmental monitoring, agriculture, and disaster control.

With the Coyote III rover, the Robotics Innovation Center at DFKI (RIC) is demonstrating a system for extracting lunar regolith, a mixture of fine dust, small rock fragments, and broken moon rock. Regolith can be used to extract oxygen and building materials directly on site on the moon, for example. The aim is to ensure a sustainable and independent supply for astronauts in the future. The system belongs to the field of in-situ resource utilization and, as part of the B.R.E.M.E.N. (Beneficiation of REgolith and Mobile Excavation) team, together with the DLR and supported by researchers from the University of Bremen, won the ESA Space Resources Challenge 2025.