Hyundai is building a 70 kg lunar rover from car parts

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) has begun developing a prototype of its own lunar rover for scientific research on the Moon. The unmanned vehicle, which will run on solar power, will weigh approximately 70 kg.

The design team will use advanced robotics and autonomous-control technologies already implemented in Hyundai and Kia vehicles. Those technologies include cameras, LiDAR sensors, drive and charging systems. The lunar rover will incorporate automotive wheels, electric motors, suspensions, batteries, and other car components available in the company’s arsenal.

To create a multifunctional mobile rover, engineers will rely on robot-manufacturing technology from Hyundai Rotem.

The team is expected to complete a test model of the lunar rover by the second half of 2024. A flight-ready version is expected to be ready for launch in 2027.

Yong Wa Kim, vice president of HMG research and development, says the lunar lander will help the company move “beyond terrestrial, maritime, and aerial mobility to space mobility.”

Hyundai specialists have signed a multilateral agreement with six Korean aerospace research institutes to establish an advisory body.

What else is known about the lunar rover? Hyundai

According to Hyundai Motor Group, the lunar rover model will have two sections. The lower section will be a mobile platform made up of automotive parts. The upper section will be designed for scientific payloads that will help study the Moon, Designboom reported. For example, that section will include equipment for excavating and collecting lunar soil to study the Moon’s resources.

The HMG development team plans to install temperature-control and radiation-protection systems in the lunar rover, allowing the rover to withstand the extreme conditions of the lunar surface.

Before the rover flies on its first research expedition, the team will test its capabilities in an environment closely resembling the Moon’s surface. The main goal of the upcoming mission is to land the rover near the Moon’s south pole, where it will carry out various scientific tasks.