Marker UGV – Will it Reach the Moon?

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A new Russian unmanned ground vehicle has the potential to be used in research missions on the moon and other celestial bodies.

The Russian military successfully tested the ‘Marker’ unmanned ground vehicle last October. The goal of the trial was to see how well the machine is suited for patrolling operations and how well it can detect potential enemies in various weather conditions, ranging from blazing sun to torrential rains in the middle of the night. 

The Defense Ministry’s officials, as well as those at Roscosmos, were satisfied with the results and determined that the vehicle was ready for further military tests prior to becoming the first robot to be used by the military and by scientists to research other planets.

The ‘Marker’ is an unmanned ground vehicle armed with 7.62×54-mm machine guns and two anti-tank missile projectors. During the tests, the machine proved itself capable of autonomous operation for three days without recharging.

Thanks to its artificial intelligence capabilities and autonomous movement in an unknown environment, the wheeled (or tracked) platform is capable of traveling up to 100 kilometers including on-road and off-road elements. The operator needs only to select the start and end points; the robot finds its own route, creating a map as it goes using cameras and other sensors. 

The ‘Marker’s capable of automatically avoiding obstacles, while sticking to the fastest route, according to rbth.com.