Turkish university to send twin rovers to Moon’s South Pole

ANKARA

Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) is set to make history in space exploration as two autonomous micro rovers developed by the university will be deployed to the lunar South Pole as part of China’s Chang’e-8 Moon mission, making Türkiye the first country to land and operate two rovers simultaneously.

The AI-powered micro rovers, named CHERI (Challenging Environment Exploration Robot for Intelligence), each weigh approximately 5 kilograms and are roughly the size of a shoebox. Built to endure the Moon’s harsh environment, the rovers will carry out autonomous 3D mapping, collect temperature and radiation data and communicate navigational routes to one another.

In a mission first, the rovers will be released on different days; the second will capture the descent of the first on video — an unprecedented technique in lunar exploration, promising valuable documentation and insight.

The project, led by ODTÜ in partnership with China-based in partnership with China-based Star Vision and Zhejiang University, also symbolizes Türkiye’s expanding role in international scientific collaboration.

“This mission highlights our commitment not only to national progress in space research, but to global scientific cooperation,” said ODTÜ Rector Ahmet Yozgatlıgil. “As we strengthen Türkiye’s presence in space, we are building a competitive, independent and innovation-driven ecosystem for the future.”

Contributors to the project include researchers from ODTÜ’s main campus in the capital Ankara and its Turkish Cyprus campus, which is developing a scientific payload to support the search for water on the Moon. The Turkish Cyprus campus is also advancing Türkiye’s digital frontier, having launched a pioneering undergraduate program in Cybersecurity Engineering in 2025.