Venturi Space, renowned for its cutting-edge mobility solutions for extreme environments, and Astrolab, Inc., a leader in multi-purpose lunar and Mars rovers, have announced a collaboration to develop a new lunar rover. This vehicle, known internally as FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform), is designed to meet the growing demand for small payload transport to the Moon. A prototype of the rover was unveiled at the 75th International Astronautical Congress.
The FLIP rover, designed for use on the lunar South Pole, builds on the same technology as Astrolab’s FLEX rover. Astrolab is responsible for its design and production, while Venturi Space is contributing its proprietary materials and technology developed in Monaco, Switzerland, France, and the United States. These include cryogenic-resistant materials, hyper-deformable wheels, and specialized batteries.
See also: Video – From Monaco to the Moon, Venturi FLEX Rover joins SpaceX mission
“For 25 years, we have been pioneers in the field of high-performance electric terrestrial vehicles,” said Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space and Venturi. “This expertise now allows us to offer viable and efficient solutions, in the long term, to face ‘the hell’ of the lunar South Pole. Our batteries and hyper-deformable wheels can withstand temperature variations of more than 300°C, aggressive solar radiation, and 180 hours of nights under -180°C. To say that I am proud of my team is an understatement!”
With a half-ton mass and a 30kg payload capacity, the FLIP rover is compatible with medium-class lunar landers, offering commercial customers opportunities for technology demonstrations and scientific exploration. The rover will remain on display until the end of the congress on October 18th.
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