Mastodawn

NASA has selected three American companies to develop the Lunar Terrain Vehicles astronauts will use during future Artemis missions.

Symposium365

📆 April 4, 2024 A pressurized rover, when it comes along with the life support, we’ll be able to extend the cruise range even farther away from a lander. An announcement concerning the pressurized vehicles is coming “about a week from now.” https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/04/04/nasa-unveils-three-teams-to-compete-for-crewed-lunar-rover-demonstration-mission/

Toyota's #LunarCruiser could explore the moon 🌙 with #astronauts 👩‍🚀 inside for up to 30 days at a time. The vehicle would be 6 meters long, 5.2 meters wide, and 3.8 meters tall https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/04/japan-will-be-first-among-nasas-partners-to-have-an-astronaut-on-the-moon/

Japan is making a significant commitment to the US-led Artemis program.

Ars Technica

📆 April 13-16, 2026 #Toyota will exhibit initiatives centered on the development of the #LunarCruiser at the 41st #SpaceSymposium https://global.toyota/en/mobility/technology/lunarcruiser/

JAXA and Toyota are working on a crewed pressurized rover (nicknamed "Lunar Cruiser") that will take on the many challenges of lunar exploration.

Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website

Rubber-based tires 🛞 will not be able to withstand the harsh #lunar environment, extreme #temperature variations, and high levels of ultraviolet radiation https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/bridgestone-unveils-metal-spoked-tire-concept

Air-filled #tires have little utility on the moon. Rubber properties vary significantly between the extreme cold ❄️ and hot 🌡️ temperatures experienced in the shaded and directly sunlit areas of the #moon. Unfiltered #solar radiation degrades rubber https://news.goodyear.com/goodyear-and-nasa-invent-spring-tire-for-moon-possibly-earth