Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2010

Disney’s cuddly, goggle-eyed robot Wall-e may soon become a reality, according to the Japanese government. The Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy announced its plan to send a robot to explore and analyze the moon’s surfaces, and if all goes according to schedule, by 2020 the machine will create a base installation from which to power itself and explore the surrounding areas. The project is projected to cost a not-insignificant ¥200 billion, though the agency says that a similar manned mission would cost well over ¥1 trillion.
Source: various