Robotics and Autonomous Systems for Sustainable Lunar Infrastructure: A Review

Abstract

The ambition of spacefaring nations to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon has elevated lunar robotics to a defining engineering challenge of the 21st century. This review examines the robotics and autonomous systems technologies being designed, tested, and planned to enable sustainable lunar infrastructure. A structured literature synthesis was conducted across the domains of rover mobility, robotic manipulation, autonomous navigation, mechatronic subsystems, sensing architectures, in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) support, additive construction, and human–robot collaboration. Key programmes, including NASA's Artemis initiative and VIPER rover, ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 Pragyan rover, ESA's Moon Village concept, and the international Lunar Gateway project, are woven throughout the analysis as concrete reference points for the current state of technology. The paper maps the principal engineering challenges facing surface robotics, lunar dust, radiation, thermal extremes, energy scarcity, and communication latency, against the mitigation strategies currently under development. Emerging directions including swarm robotics, humanoid systems, self-healing architectures, and AI-driven settlement management are assessed against realistic technology readiness timelines. This review is intended as an educational reference and synthesis resource for undergraduate aerospace students, early-career researchers, and engineers entering the field of space robotics.