---
title: "2021 Moon Rover Will Have Legs Instead of Wheels"
description: "UK-based startup SpaceBit's Moon rover is not only the smallest ever, but it also has legs instead of the typical wheels."
date: "2019-10-14"
modified: "2019-10-14"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/moon-rover-legs-not-wheels"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Moon"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "astrobotic"
  - "lunar rover"
  - "spacebit"
  - "the digest"
---

# 2021 Moon Rover Will Have Legs Instead of Wheels

![UK-based startup SpaceBit's Moon rover is not only the smallest ever, but it also has legs instead of the typical wheels.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/moon-rover-legs-not-wheels.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Spacebit\</em\>*

## Space Legs

The United Kingdom plans to send its [first lunar rover](<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2219443-plans-for-uks-first-moon-rover-announced-at-new-scientist-live/>) to the Moon in 2021 — and the robot is unlike any that came before it.

Not only will the rover created UK-based space startup SpaceBit be the smallest one in history, but it will also have legs rather than wheels — a design innovation that could allow it to explore previously unreachable areas of the Moon.

## Small Package

SpaceBit unveiled the rover on Thursday at the science and tech festival New Scientist Live, noting that the bot will hitch a ride to the Moon's surface aboard U.S. space robotics company Astrobotic's 2021 mission.

The [1 kilogram (2.2 pound) robot](<https://www.space.com/uk-first-moon-rover-spacebit-launch-2021.html>) is shaped like a cube with four legs, which it will use to gather video and other data for scientists during its 10-Earth-days-long mission.

## Intrepid Explorer

SpaceBit and Astrobotic are hopeful that the mission will illustrate the benefits of giving rovers legs — and lead to future missions in which legged rovers explore the [Moon's tubular caves](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/beautiful-design-moon-habitat>).

"The legs could be better for steep, rocky terrain, and basically any place where wheels start to struggle," Astrobotic's CEO John Thornton [told *New Scientist*](<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2219443-plans-for-uks-first-moon-rover-announced-at-new-scientist-live/>).

**READ MORE:** [Plans for UK's first moon rover announced at New Scientist Live](<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2219443-plans-for-uks-first-moon-rover-announced-at-new-scientist-live/>) \[*New Scientist*\]

**More on Moon rovers:** *[See the Moon Rover Toyota Is Building for Japan’s Space Program](<https://futurism.com/see-the-moon-rover-toyota-is-building-for-japans-space-program>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)