Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
NASA’s Artemis program faces delays and budget overruns, prompting potential reliance on private firms like SpaceX or Blue Origin for moon landings.
SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing lunar landers capable of delivering massive payloads to the moon’s surface, with SpaceX targeting 2029 for its first cargo mission.
Future lunar missions could deliver infrastructure for a moon base or even rovers to help astronauts navigate the lunar terrain.
JAXA, in collaboration with Toyota, is developing a pressurized rover dubbed the "Lunar Cruiser," designed for astronaut mobility and set to be delivered to the moon by SpaceX no sooner than 2032.
The Lunar Cruiser, inspired by Toyota’s Land Cruiser, will be roughly 19 feet long and 16 feet wide, with enough space for two astronauts and their gear in a pressurized environment.
Toyota’s Lunar Cruiser will feature a hydrogen powertrain, adapted from its Mirai vehicle, ensuring sustainable energy solutions for lunar exploration.
SpaceX, while working on its own lunar terrain vehicle, faces competition from Toyota’s Lunar Cruiser, which could debut on the moon sooner.
SpaceX plans to carry critical infrastructure, including rovers and moon base components, leveraging its proven track record in space logistics.
Lunar rovers like Toyota’s Cruiser and SpaceX’s Eagle are set to revolutionize astronaut mobility on the moon, paving the way for advanced exploration.