2023-10-09 20:13:59
Toyota, the Japanese automobile giant, in a collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is making history by taking automotive innovation to the Moon.
The Japanese are working on the development of a lunar vehicle known as the “Lunar Cruiser” or BLC, which is designed to face the extreme conditions of the Moon’s surface.
The “Lunar Cruiser”, which is part of the Artemis program, has advanced technology designed to cope with missions that could last up to a month in the inhospitable environment of the Moon.
“Since driving for 30 days non-stop would be extremely demanding, certain parts will be automated, and astronauts will activate manual control in cases where they have to deal with a particularly complicated situation… As with the GuardianTM, automated driving is configured around the concept of collaborating with the human driver to ensure safety,” said Takao Sato, former director of the Lunar Rover project.
This interplanetary exploration vehicle has been designed with a wide range of innovative features, ranging from rollover prevention to radio signal navigation systems and intuitive driving assistance.
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Additionally, the BLC will be equipped with tires made of metal. This innovation has the necessary resistance to navigate the lunar surface. Likewise, it has a wide range of cameras and LiDAR/radar sensors.
Most notably, the “Lunar Cruiser” will run on water and solar energy, allowing it to produce hydrogen directly on the lunar surface for propulsion.
Scheduled to launch in 2029, this project represents a step forward in lunar exploration and potentially paves the way for future space missions and space colonization.
Hyundai Motor and Nissan have also announced their own projects to conquer the Moon in collaboration with space agencies.
Hyundai Motor began developing an autonomous vehicle in 2023, with the aim of participating in future NASA space missions. On the other hand, Nissan has also joined the competition with the announcement of its own “Lunar Terrain Vehicle” (LTV).
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