The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced on Friday that they have named the manned pressurized rover which is currently under joint research by JAXA and Toyota the “LUNAR CRUISER” as “nickname”.
JAXA and Toyota previously announced and have been conducting joint research on a manned, pressurized lunar rover that uses fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technologies.
The name, which references the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, was decided upon based on the quality, durability, and reliability expected of the pressurized lunar rover, and the concept that Toyota has long held to for the Land Cruiser, which was for people to “come back alive,” especially true for the lunar rover as it will be traversing the harsh environment of the moon’s surface.
Highlights:
– Length: 6.0 m; width: 5.2 m; height: 3.8 m (about the size of two microbuses)
– Living space: 13m3
– Capable of accommodating two people (four people in an emergency)
