According to Japanese media reports, the space startup ispace announced on October 22 that it has signed a contract with Toyota Motor Corporation to obtain technical evaluation and quality improvement support for the concept design of the next-generation small Mars rover for future lunar missions.
iSpace is developing data services, using its internally developed lander and rover through lunar missions to acquire various data and provide them to customers. It can be said that this is an important measure to support and promote private enterprises entering the lunar market. In order to enhance the exploration performance of the Mars rover and strengthen data collection capabilities, we have started developing the next-generation small Mars rover.
Based on this knowledge, Toyota Motor Corporation, which has accumulated expertise in system development and integration through years of automotive development, is collaborating with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop a lunar rover called "Manned Pressurized Rover" (referred to by Toyota as the "Lunar Cruiser").
Through this agreement, ispace will receive technical evaluations at the system level from Toyota Motor Corporation and support the best system design solutions for the development of the next-generation small rover under guidance.
In the future, ispace plans to send its independently developed lunar rover and the next-generation small lunar rover to the Moon after the third mission, and to collect lunar travel data through operations. Through data services, we hope that Toyota Motor Corporation will use it for space mobility development.
Additionally, when considering the future concept of lunar surface and lunar orbit infrastructure led by the private sector (the Sysluna concept), ispace is promoting the establishment of a cooperation system among private operators. This initiative with Toyota Motor Corporation is positioned as part of these efforts, and we will actively promote cooperation to achieve the Sysluna concept.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846871062998028/
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