Japan plans to send a team of semi-autonomous robots to explore the moon within 10 years, the Asahi Shimbun has reported.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hopes that the robots can work independently and together with human astronauts to carry out research and eventually construct a base on the moon.
Some of the technology developed for the Hayabusa space probe, which made a rendezvous with an asteroid in 2005, will be modified for use on the lunar robots, JAXA said.
Hayabusa reached asteroid Itokawa after a troubled voyage, and transmitted research data back to earth. However, it appears that it may be unsuccessful in carrying out its planned sample return mission.
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