South Australia will play a central role in the design and development of Australia’s first lunar rover by providing cutting-edge capabilities in robotics, automation and testing support to the history-making mission.
The University of Adelaide, along with South Australian space companies Inovor Technologies and Saber Astronautics are key partners of the national ELO2 consortium, which was recently chosen by the Australian Government to build and operate the Australian-made rover, named Roo-ver.
Comprising of 21 space start-ups, companies, universities, and research partners, the Queensland-led ELO2 consortium will develop a semi-autonomous rover that will collect lunar soil and pave the way towards a sustainable human presence on the moon.
The project is part of the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars Trailblazer Program and will support NASA’s Artemis missions.
Roo-ver will be put through its paces at the University of Adelaide’s Extraterrestrial Environmental Simulation (Exterres) facilities, including the university’s new off-Earth Analogue Facility at Roseworthy and its Laboratory at the North Terrace campus, where it will be exposed to simulated lunar environments.
The University of Adelaide’s Associate Professor John Culton, Director of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, said the university was proud to be part of the ELO2 consortium and offer its testing capabilities to enhance the Roo-ver’s operational performance.
“These facilities will [test] the rover in a range of simulated lunar environments, including its operation on regolith, the harsh lunar surface dust, and in the challenging lighting conditions experienced on the Moon,” Professor Culton said.
South Australian Space Industry Centre Chief Executive, Matt Opie, said South Australia’s involvement in one of Australia’s most advanced space robotics projects is a testament to the state’s leading space capabilities.
“The University of Adelaide is leading the way in enhancing Australia’s off-Earth robotics and automation capabilities with its Exterres facilities. It is a fantastic example of the world-class space capabilities in South Australia that are delivering value to national projects, like the Australian Space Agency’s Roo-ver, and advancing Australia’s position in the global space economy.”
Head of the Australian Space Agency, Enrico Palermo, said the rover project demonstrates the cutting-edge capability Australia can offer to major international space missions.
“This project is as much about the journey as the destination. Australia is gaining valuable knowledge and technical skill just from developing Roo-ver, creating opportunity to become an even bigger part of the global space sector,” he said.
“Establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon is a major focus of the international space community over the coming decades, and this mission centres Australia in that foundational work, while advancing our national robotics ecosystem to improve life here on Earth.”
NASA and the Australian Space Agency are working together to finalise plans, with the lunar rover on track for a launch later this decade. The Australian Government has invested $42 million in the project.
