Australia to Launch Its First Moon Rover on NASA Mission

New Delhi: Australia is set to send its first lunar rover, named Roo-ver, to the Moon by the end of this decade as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, the Australian Space Agency (ASA) announced on Friday.

The rover will travel aboard NASA’s CT-4 mission in the late 2020s and has been assigned “key research objectives,” including collecting new data from the lunar surface to support international space exploration and science. According to ASA, these efforts will contribute to the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable human presence in space.

The Australian-led consortium ELO2 was selected in December 2024 to design, build, and operate the rover, which will weigh approximately 20 kilograms. Roo-ver is expected to function for up to 14 Earth days — nearly half of a lunar day.

Federal Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Tim Ayres, said the project will inspire the next generation of Australia’s STEM workforce. “This is one of the most specialised robotics and advanced manufacturing projects in the country. It is accelerating our advanced technical capabilities and strengthening local manufacturing expertise,” he said.

The government has allocated AUD 42 million (USD 27.4 million) to fund the rover’s development, design, construction, and operations. Roo-ver will also carry an integrated NASA payload — an analysis instrument designed to test new technology for future scientific and exploration missions.

ASA emphasised that Roo-ver’s mission will be a landmark step in global lunar exploration and will play a role in shaping humanity’s long-term presence beyond Earth.

With inputs from IANS