Latest news with #VenturiSpace
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Venturi Space Shows Off Its Pitch for a New Lunar Lander
Monaco-based Venturi Space has debuted a new design for a next-generation lunar rover that it's calling Mona Luna. It's a pitch that it hopes the European Space Agency (ESA) will pick up during its ministerial conference later this year. It includes a new deformable wheel design and a sleek, futuristic look, with instruments held near the center to protect against harsh moon temperature swings throughout the day/night cycle. The Venturi Space pitch is that the ESA already has a lunar launch vehicle in the Ariane 6, and a lunar lander in the Argonaut for future payload delivery to the Moon. But what it doesn't have, though, is a lunar rover, and Venturi wants to be the company to provide it, as reports. Mona Luna is a next-generation rover design that looks sleek and futuristic, eschewing the gangly, many-limbed rovers we're used to seeing exploring Mars in recent years. That's because the Mona Luna keeps most of its instruments internally to better protect them against the extreme elements and temperature swings that can be experienced on the moon's surface. In the above concept video, Venturi shows the rover opening its back panel to reveal a number of modular sensors and tools, which the articulating arm can attach and detach to and from at will. That allows a single arm to provide the full functionality of the rover, cutting back on overall costs and weight in the design. It also allows each instrument to have the same level of flexible control. Another technology Venturi is pioneering for this design is its deformable wheels. These wheels are capable of handling extreme temperature swings from -240 degrees C to 130 degrees C while retaining the same strength and support so that the rover can continue to operate even in the lunar south pole. This hyper-mobile wheel design should also let the rover traverse more demanding surface conditions, letting it travel where previous rovers would be unable to even attempt. Although the rover's weight is 1650 pounds, with payloads, it could reach as high as 4,400 pounds. The wheels are designed to handle that while still maintaining the ability to reach nine miles per hour or up to 12 miles per hour with lighter payloads. If Venturi is successful in convincing the ESA to provide some of its budget for a rover contract, it will be able to show proof of its concepts before a potential 2030+ mission. The wheel technologies are being used in the next generation of NASA's own lunar vehicle, the Flex Rover, currently under development at California-based Astrolab. That vehicle is expected to launch for a lunar south pole mission sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Top Gear
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
This moon rover uses a battery management system from a super fast e-bike
This moon rover uses a battery management system from a super fast e-bike The ultra-quick Voxan Wattman lends its coding to a buggy aiming for the moon's south pole... Skip 7 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 7 Venturi Space has unveiled its latest moon rover, the Mona Luna. Sporting 'hyper-deformable' wheels, smart batteries and a battery management system also used in the Voxan Wattman, (aka the world's fastest electric motorbike), it's part of a European effort to go to the moon's south pole... by 2030. That aforementioned fancy coding to manage the super fast bike's battery – and specifically heat management – has been adapted to give the moon rover special powers to cope with its unusual environment. Advertisement - Page continues below These energy powerhouses – developed and tested in Monaco – have to withstand extreme temperatures, intense solar radiation and be protected against shocks, short circuits and shunts from a potentially rough landing. Nothing akin to a tussle at your local charging station point, but still. The lunar rover's wheels might not be as blue as these Michelin ones, but the 'hyper-deformable' circles need to not only be able to negotiate potholes (literally) the size of moon craters, but also work without atmosphere. Like the devices used in the Apollo missions and 2011 Curiosity rover, the wheels are puncture-proof and radiation-resistant. Unlike those earlier models though, these new wheels support a monster two tonnes, won't freeze in -240*C temps and last over 3,100 miles. Neat. Mona Luna is the third rover in Venturi Space's range. There's the FLIP and the Flex, both due to head out for some celestial fun with SpaceX in 2026 and 2027. Venturi Space also have designs on a rover for Mars, too. Advertisement - Page continues below You might recognise the Venturi name from its humble 1980s beginnings, persistent attempts at world record EV speeds, the sub-zero Venturi Antarctica or its Formula E team. Reckon it'll get to the lunar south pole, too? Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
