Venturi Space presented the promising lunar rover Mona Luna at the Paris Air Show . The robotic lunar rover is 2.5 meters long, 1.64 meters wide and weighs 750 kilograms.
The developers are offering the project of this rover to the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as national agencies and commercial companies. As a competitive advantage, Venturi Space cites the increased cross-country ability and autonomy of the lunar rover, which differs from similar devices.
The Moon has a lot of slopes and loose soil. So you basically need an ATV there. At the moment, no one is making lunar ATVs. Also, if you want to develop lunar deposits in the future, explore the Moon, you will need a massive rover. When we talk about a large device, the technology in it is fundamentally different from that used to create small rovers, which everyone is trying to make now.
According to him, the rover is equipped with an unusual suspension and steering system, which will allow it to better cope with the lunar terrain. It is designed for speeds of up to 20 km/h. And the layout of the units is thought out so that the device maintains increased stability and can survive cold lunar nights with the help of a reserve of batteries.
Venturi Space already shares some of its technologies with other market participants. For example, the company supplies its batteries and deformable wheels to the American Astrolab, which is participating in the NASA competition to create a lunar rover. At the same time, Delfino emphasized that Venturi Space’s own rover will use unique developments that differ from those exported.
He noted that he had already discussed the project’s prospects with ESA management and received approval. Venturi Space plans for Mona Luna to be delivered to the Moon using the planned European Argonaut landing module and the Ariane 64 rocket. According to him, the rover will complement ESA’s existing lunar exploration plans.
Earlier we reported that NASA is testing an unusual robot for mining lunar regolith.