Hyundai Motor Group has announced that it has started building an initial development model of a lunar exploration mobility rover in tandem with aerospace partners.
Following development, testing and refinement, the plan is to land the rover near the south pole area of the moon to carry out various scientific missions. The solar-powered, autonomous driving mobility unit will weigh around 70 kg.
Following discussions with the various stakeholders, the Group decided on the direction for the initial lunar exploration mobility development model. It expects to complete the initial test unit as soon as the second half of 2024 and aims to create a model that has launch capability in 2027.
For the rover, the Group is utilising Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation’s advanced robotics and autonomous driving technologies (camera, LiDAR), driving system (motor, wheels, suspension), charging parts (solar panel, battery) as well as Hyundai Rotem’s robot manufacturing technology as part of a multi-purpose mobility platform.
The Group’s components will occupy the lower section of the rover, while the upper section will consist of scientific payloads for lunar surface exploration. In addition, the rover will have a thermal management function and radiation shielding to withstand the extreme environment of the lunar surface.
A communication from the Group noted that before the rover can be sent to the moon, it will conduct mission-based performance testing of the development model in an environment similar to the moon’s surface in preparation for the lunar mission and make refinements based on the test results.
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