Toyota's 'Lunar Cruiser' to join NASA-led moon mission

Move comes amid plans for lunar trips that include Japanese astronauts

20240411 Moon explorer JAXA Toyota

A rover being developed by Japan's space agency and companies such as Toyota will operate like a "camping car on the moon." (JAXA/TOYOTA) 

SATOSHI KAWAHARA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- A vehicle known as the "Lunar Cruiser" that is being developed by companies including Toyota Motor to carry astronauts on the moon's surface is set to join the U.S.-led program to revive manned exploration of Earth's nearest neighbor.

The Artemis project, led by NASA, also plans to send two Japanese astronauts to the moon, with both developments potentially boosting the East Asian nation's influence in any lucrative lunar economic bloc of the future.

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