Toyota, Mitsubishi Heavy to work together on lunar vehicles

Companies share know-how on cabin design, energy generation

The vehicle will boast living space of roughly 7 square meters, where occupants can work or rest without their space suits. © Toyota Motor

NATSUMI KAWASAKI, Nikkei staff writer

July 21, 2023 20:16 JST

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries detailed plans on Friday to build solar-powered moon vehicles that could be available for the U.S.-led Artemis Project aiming for the first manned lunar landing in half a century starting in 2025.

Lunar rovers are expected to be launched in 2029. The two companies held a briefing on Friday along with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in Tokyo, coincidentally on the same day that Apollo 11 landed on the moon 54 years ago.