The Toyota Urban Cruiser might be a neat little car, but for something out of this world, look no further than the Lunar Cruiser. That is the nickname chosen for a manned pressurised lunar rover, which is currently under joint research by Toyota and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
According to Toyota, the name was chosen because it provides a “familiar feeling” to the people involved in the project as well as the general public. Referencing the Land Cruiser, the lunar rover is expected to be of quality, durable, and reliable – just like the SUV – while fulfilling its mission for people to “come back alive,” which is no easy feat since it will traverse the harsh environment of the moon’s surface.
The Japanese carmaker’s involvement in the project is to lend its expertise on fuel cell technology, something that it has quite a bit of experience with. This form of mobility is deemed necessary for human exploration activities on the lunar surface, as there is a limited amount of energy that can be transported to the moon.
With that in mind, the Lunar Cruiser is being developed to provide a cruising range of more than 10,000 km, further supported by its large solar panel. Toyota and JAXA signed a joint research agreement to work on the project on June 13 last year, and both parties have already begun manufacturing test parts for each technological element, and the prototype rover itself, during Toyota’s fiscal year 2020.
In fiscal year 2021, the project will also see simulations being carried out to confirm power and heat dissipation performance while driving, the manufacture and assessment of prototype tyres, and the use of virtual reality and full-scale models to consider the layout of equipment in the cabin of the Lunar Cruiser.
Unlike building a car, a lunar rover will take a bit more time, as the tentative plan is aiming for a launch in 2029. Before that, from 2022, a 1:1 scale prototype rover will be manufactured and evaluated, followed by engineering and flight models from 2024. From 2027, the project will focus on building and quality testing the flight model that will be sent up.
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So this is how Toyota returned to profitability, by selling a concept design to JAXA (a GLC) for 1 billion yen taxpayers money.
Don’t be jealous just because Toyota is doing so well. This is why their cars are so good. It has technology as advanced as space vehicles.
Try not to be bitter in life please
This Celup King guy is too obssessed with toyota. I think he secretly loves Toyota.
Why care so much about Toyota if Geely/P1 is better?
Hope not like our astronout, never do anything and tumpang russian spaceship and then we tell people we have space program
Toyota doing well thanks to 1 billion yen tongkat. Without this tongkat they edi bankrap close shop.
If so good why NASA didn’t buy it. Only know how to be jaguh kampung no use. Like a certain subsidiary car company of theirs disguised as a national carmaker.
Bouncing and floating with minimum traction on the surface of the moon in low gravity
When a car company can contribute to space technology, you now know how high is the car company.
This is so amazing. I am proud of Toyota and its quality
You do know that the original Moon rover used by Nasa Apollo program was designed and built by General Motors right?
Yup, you need car companies the size of GM and Toyota to have the knowledge and means to produce such complex space vehicles
Later fuel pump failed while on Moon, Toyota have to send my tow truck into space to tarik this stranded Toyota. Kemaluan terbesar nanti!
…kami merasa kemaluan yang sangat besar…. Lolz..
Why go thru all that trouble? Just put huge GT wing onto Vios full of stickers and it will fly to the Moon.
Put GT wing on Mibi and it will fly to Mars because it is lighter. Kah kah kah kah
TOYOTA= The One You Only Trust Always..
..until the fuel pump fails inevitably.
The future of the Land Cruiser.