Teleoperated robots for gathering Moon dust are a step closer, according to new research by scientists at the University of Bristol.

The new race for the Moon is well under way. With its Artemis programme, Nasa is aiming to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. It expects to return humans to the lunar surface by 2030 and build a permanent research station near the Moon’s south pole shortly after.

But Nasa is far from alone in the race. The UK Space Agency estimates that more than 250 missions may go to the Moon in the next decade.

Alongside a boom in lunar lander missions this decade, several public and private organisations are now researching how best to extract valuable resources, such as oxygen and water, from readily available materials such as lunar regolith (moon dust).

Remote handling of regolith is an essential step in these activities. But this presents challenges as regolith is sticky and abrasive. It will also have to be handled under reduced gravity.

A team of researchers...