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(Credit: Venturi Space)
The European Space Agency is working with startup Venturi Space to develop three key technologies for future lunar rovers.
A study commissioned by the ESA covers mobility capability, power supply systems and thermal regulation capability for the vehicles that it’s hoped will ferry astronauts around the Moon as they return to Earth’s satellite at some point in the next decade.
Using its Mona Luna rover, Venturi Space is testing ‘hyperdeformable’ wheels and the suspension system that will enable rovers to operate efficiently on the loose and uneven lunar soil, as well as high-performance batteries that can function in extreme temperature conditions, and the system that allows the rover to descend from the lander. The tests will take place at the Luna building in Cologne, Germany, which features a replica of the lunar environment.
“This contract enables us to work in close collaboration with ESA on key technologies for future lunar missions,” says Dr. Antonio Delfino, Director of Space Affairs at Venturi Space. “The objective is to consolidate solutions aligned with the agency’s roadmap and bring them to a level of maturity compatible with the operational requirements of forthcoming missions. The issue of egress, in particular, is a central challenge, and we are pleased to be able to propose and test an innovative concept within a joint and structured framework.”
“The space sector is experiencing growing development, with increasing involvement of the private sector and an overall acceleration in the development of new technologies,” says Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration at ESA. “In order to strengthen European agility and capabilities, agencies and institutions are establishing new partnerships with industry. For this study, the European Space Agency has adopted an approach consistent with this strategy by developing a test and risk-reduction campaign based on technologies already under development at Venturi Space.”
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