Toyota to send cruiser to explore moon, mars

TOKYO (KLKN) – Toyota is working with Japan’s national space agency to send a vehicle to the moon, aiming to have people living there by 2040 and then doing the same on Mars, according to company officials.

The vehicle, dubbed the “Lunar Cruiser,” is being developed with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and is set to launch in the late 2020’s.

“Sending our cars to the moon is our mission,” Toyota engineer Shinichiro Noda said to the Associated Press. “This is about taking our cars somewhere we have never been.”

Gitai Japan Inc., a venture contracted with Toyota, Chief Executive Sho Nakanose said that the challenge of space exploration no longer lies with the takeoff, but with the costs and hazards for astronauts that come with working in space – that’s where the robots come in.

Gitai has developed a robotic arm for the Lunar Cruiser. The end can be changed to serve as different tools and perform tasks from inspection to maintenance.

Recently, Japan’s interest in space and involvement in the field has been increasing.

iSpace Inc., a private Japanese venture working on lunar rovers, is scheduled for a moon landing later this year. Businessman Yusaku Maezawa, recently seen in videos floating around the International Space Station, has also booked a seat on Elon Musk’s Starship.