Toyota partners with JAXA to develop Lunar Cruiser for Moon and Mars exploration

After successfully capturing the market on Earth with its Land Cruiser, Japanese carmaker Toyota is now headed for the Moon. The company has struck a deal with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop a 'Lunar Cruiser' for the use of astronauts in outer space missions. Toyota officials have said that their Lunar Cruiser will be ready for launch by late 2020s and has an ultimate aim to help people live on the Moon by 2040 and eventually on Mars. 

(Toyota-JAXA's Lunar Cruiser; Image: AP)

The idea behind Lunar Cruiser

Takao Sato, who heads the Lunar Cruiser project at Toyota Motor Corp says that the idea behind developing the Lunar Cruiser is to allow people to eat, work, sleep and communicate with others safely in cars in outer space, just like they do here on Earth. In an interview with The Associated Press (AP), Sato said-

We see space as an area for our once-in-a-century transformation. By going to space, we may be able to develop telecommunications and other technology that will prove valuable to human life.

(Toyota-JAXA's Lunar Cruiser; Image: AP)

Interestingly, the vehicle will reportedly be fitted with a robotic arm which is being developed by Gitai Japan Inc., a partner of Toyota. This robotic arm's purpose will be to perform tasks such as inspection and maintenance and the arms end can be used as different tools for scooping, lifting and sweeping. Gitai Chief Executive Sho Nakanose to AP that since astronauts are faced with many hazards while working in space, these robotic technologies would help in eliminating a few of those risks. "Sending our cars to the moon is our mission. Toyota has vehicles almost everywhere, but this is about taking our cars to somewhere we have never been", a Toyota engineer named Shinichiro Noda told AP. 

This comes as Japan is working on multiple fronts to leave its mark on the Moon. Japan's private space company ispace Inc. is reportedly working on lunar rovers, which it plans to launch for the lunar landing later this year. It is worth mentioning that another representative from Japan, businessman Yusaku Maezawa will soon fly to the Moon in Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's Starship rocket.

Image: AP