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Toyota designs moon rover concept

If Japan's space agency realises its dream of sending astronauts to the moon, they could be travelling around the lunar surface inside a Toyota-designed pressurised rover.


Toyota and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have confirmed an agreement to "consider the possibility of collaborating on international space exploration".

Since May 2018, the two organisations have been working together on a rover concept, which would allow humans to explore the lunar surface in a pressurised vehicle.

The concept unveiled by Toyota this week is roughly 6.0m long, 5.2m wide, and 3.8m tall.

Within its pressurised cabin the rover has around 13.0 cubic-metres of living space. It's designed to accommodate two people under normal circumstances, although it has a maximum capacity for four people in emergency situations.

Inside the rover astronauts will be shielded from harmful solar radiation, and will be able to go about their duties without the need for a spacesuit.

The vehicle has electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel-cells and on-board batteries, and have a cruising range of over 10,000 kilometres.

In addition to generating power for the vehicle, the hydrogen fuel-cells will also help to filter air inside the cabin.

Koichi Wakata, vice president of JAXA, said the agency views "manned, pressurised rovers [as] an important element supporting human lunar exploration, which we envision will take place in the 2030s".

Under the agency's current plans, it is aiming to launch the rover into space in 2029.

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