Ukrainian space robots in action at the Ukrainian Pavilion

Earth’s Moon will host the most opportunities for commercial space exploration over the coming decades, says Ukraine’s Pavlo Tanasyuk, founder and CEO of privately-funded UK firm Spacebit.  He added: “In terms of the commercial exploration in the short term – and for space, we’re talking 20-30 years – it would be the Moon, because it’s the most viable, it’s full of resources, and you can build a base there. So, I would bet on the Moon, and I would run consecutive missions around then. And then, obviously, we’ll go beyond if there is a commercial importance as well.”

Developing space robotics technology for lunar and planetary exploration, Spacebit – founded by Tanasyuk in 2014 – has two upcoming missions in 2022. 

One is a British/Ukrainian mission with a fixed payload, weighing roughly 1.5 kg, consisting of a Ukrainium-made titanium pole and the national flag, alongside various Ukrainian innovations for taking photographs, and measuring radiation and ambient lunar surface temperatures.  The other mission – British, with various Ukrainian components – is a lesson in robotics, its goal to deliver the world’s smallest four-legged lunar rover, named Asagumo, to the surface of the moon.