GabyHyundai Motor Group (HMG) has begun developing a prototype of its own lunar rover for scientific research on the Moon. The unmanned vehicle, which will operate on solar energy, will weigh approximately 70 kg.
The team of designers will use advanced robotics and autonomous control technologies implemented in Hyundai and Kia vehicles. This includes cameras, LiDAR sensors, driving and charging systems. The lunar rover will incorporate automotive wheels, electric motors, suspensions, batteries, and other car components available in the company’s arsenal.
To create a multifunctional mobile rover, engineers will need the robot manufacturing technology from Hyundai Rotem.
The team is expected to complete the test model of the lunar rover by the second half of 2024. The version of the rover that will fly to the Moon will be ready for launch in 2027.
As noted by Yong Wa Kim, Vice President of HMG Research and Development, the lunar lander will help the company move “beyond terrestrial, maritime, and aerial mobility to space mobility.”
Hyundai specialists have signed a multilateral agreement to establish an advisory body with six Korean research institutes specializing in aerospace research.
What else is known about the lunar rover? Hyundai
According to Hyundai Motor Group, the lunar rover model will have two sections. The lower section will be a mobile platform made up of automotive parts. The upper section will be designed for scientific payloads that will help study the Moon, the publication reported. Designboom Here, for example, there will be equipment for researching the resources of Earth’s natural satellite: specifically, for excavating and collecting lunar soil.
The HMG development team plans to install temperature control and radiation protection systems in the lunar rover, allowing the spacecraft to withstand the extreme conditions of the lunar surface.
Before the rover flies on its first research expedition, the team will test its capabilities in an environment closely resembling the Moon’s surface. The main goal of the upcoming mission is to land the spacecraft in the area of the Moon’s south pole, where the spacecraft will carry out various scientific tasks.
