Toyota will work with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on a fuel cell Moon rover vehicle, with a target launch date of a Moon mission currently set for 2029. The two previously announced their collaboration, but on Tuesday they signed a formal agreement, which defines a three-year joint research agreement to co-develop pressurized lunar rover prototypes. Each year will see the partnership focus on a different phase of the prototype’s development, with 2019 all about identifying technical requirements and drawing up spec docs; next year, the goal will be to build test parts and then actually put together a rover prototype; finally, in fiscal 2021, the partners will test both the rover parts and rover prototype in order to evaluate the results for potential full production. VIDEO The pressurized rover will be able to transport astronauts over 10,000 km using its onboard fuel cells and solar recharging mechanism, according to a press release detailing the concept from March, prior to today’s development partnership agreement. It would have a total seating capacity of two people, with the option to carry as many as four if there’s an emergency need to do so. It’s about the size of two microbuses, according to Toyota, which means about 20 feet long, by 17 feet wide and 12.5 feet tall. The six-wheeled concept also features deployable solar panels for recharging, ample communications equipment and a front winch for getting itself out of jams and other potential applications. [gallery ids="1856416,1856417,1856418,1856420,1856421,1856422,1856423"] JAXA intends to continue its series of lunar missions, which included 2007’s Selene (or ‘Kayuga’) that sent an orbiter and a pair of communication satellites to lunar orbit. Ultimately, JAXA’s goal is to host a series of uncrewed and human missions under a broader Lunar Exploration Program, with the ultimate aim of establishing a presence for Japanese astronauts in a combined international lunar outpost program.
Toyota and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have signed a three-year joint research agreement to develop prototype fuel cell rovers for a lunar mission slated for 2029. The two companies will jointly build prototypes of their vehicles that can be used on future missions in order to test out new technologies needed by astronauts during long space missions. The collaboration, originally announced in March, is part of JAXA's broader lunar exploration programme.