Australia to launch first Moon rover on NASA mission

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS/GURPUNEET SIDHU) Australia’s first Moon rover will be launched around the end of the decade through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, the Australian Space Agency (ASA) said on Friday.

The ASA announced that the rover, named Roo-ver, will be carried to the lunar surface on NASA’s CT-4 mission around the end of the 2020s, Xinhua news agency reported.

The space agency said that the rover has been entrusted with “key research objectives” by NASA, including collecting new data about the lunar surface to support international space science and exploration goals.

“In time, Roo-ver’s explorations will help global efforts to establish a possible sustainable human presence in space,” the ASA said.

The federal government in December 2024 announced that Australian-led consortium ELO2 had been chosen to design, build, and operate the rover, which will weigh about 20 kilograms.

Roo-ver is expected to operate for up to 14 Earth days, which is only about half of one day on the Moon.

Tim Ayres, the Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, said on Friday that the development and launch of the rover will inspire the STEM workforce needed for Australia’s future.

“This is one of the most specialised robotics and advanced manufacturing projects in the country,” Ayres said.

“It’s accelerating the development of Australia’s advanced technical capabilities and deepening local manufacturing expertise,” he added.

The government has committed 42 million Australian dollars ($27.4 million) in funding for the development, design, build, and operation of the semi-autonomous rover.

The ASA noted that Roo-ver will be supercharged with an integrated NASA payload — an analysis instrument intended to demonstrate technology for scientific and exploration purposes.

“In time, Roo-ver’s explorations will help global efforts to establish a possible sustainable human presence in space,” it noted.

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