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Toyota Motor executives revealed their groundbreaking strategy to utilize regenerative fuel cell technology, propelling a manned lunar rover towards an exciting prospect of tapping into the moon's water ice for potential energy usage in the future, according to Reuters.
Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan has elevated its space ambitions significantly.
Japan has actively engaged in the NASA Artemis program and has ambitious plans to station an astronaut at a lunar space station called Gateway in the latter half of the 2020s.
In collaboration with Japan's space agency since 2019, Toyota has been diligently working on developing a manned lunar rover, aptly named the Lunar Cruiser.
Their ambitious goal is to deploy this cutting-edge rover on the moon by the year 2029. This collaboration marks a significant stride in advancing space exploration and opens the door to future missions that could rely on the moon's resources for sustainable energy solutions.
Ken Yamashita, head of lunar exploration projects at Toyota, emphasized, "In order to conduct long-term and stable research on the moon's surface, we are aiming to source various items on-site over an extended period."
As per the presentation materials released on Friday, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has committed to providing a lunar rover for NASA's Artemis program, targeting a launch in 2029.
The rover will employ fuel cell technology, functioning similarly to an electric vehicle, drawing power from a fuel stack that separates hydrogen through a catalyst to generate electricity.
To ensure sustainability, the world's largest automaker intends to harness solar energy and water to produce hydrogen and oxygen via electrolysis during daylight hours.
Subsequently, the fuel cells will utilize this stored energy to supply electricity during the lunar night, which lasts approximately 14 Earth days. Thanks to this innovative technology, the lunar rover will continue to operate even in darkness and endure extremely cold conditions.
Toyota aims to secure an order for the manned lunar rover by the following autumn. The vehicle's design will accommodate two astronauts for missions lasting up to 42 days, with a remarkable operational lifespan of ten years.
This significant contribution represents a substantial leap forward in space exploration, demonstrating the potential for sustainable energy solutions beyond Earth's boundaries.
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