EU PROGRAMME
To support the European Space Agency’s ambitions in lunar exploration, Venturi Space has developed MONA LUNA, a European lunar rover designed to meet future surface mobility requirements on the Moon from 2030 onwards.
VENTURI SPACE DEVELOPS EUROPE’S FIRST LUNAR ROVER
Objective: to equip Europe with an autonomous lunar surface mobility capability by 2030
Venturi Space is positioning itself as a key player in surface mobility for future ESA lunar missions. MONA LUNA addresses the operational and exploration challenges associated with activities on the lunar surface.
As part of an integrated industrial approach, Venturi Space offers a fully integrated service covering the entire value chain, from vehicle design through to operational deployment.
The programme builds on experience gained through the North American programme conducted with its strategic partner Venturi Astrolab, Inc., for which it develops and manufactures critical technologies, including hyper-deformable wheels, high-performance batteries and battery management systems.
LUNAR ROVER DEVELOPED BY VENTURI SPACE
MONA LUNA: a 100% european rover
MONA LUNA is a next-generation lunar rover developed for future European lunar missions.
Designed and engineered across Venturi Space’s European centres (France – Monaco – Switzerland), it integrates the critical functions required for surface operations: mobility, power, autonomy and payload management.
With a base mass of 750 kg (scalable up to 1,000 kg), the rover is electrically powered, supported by solar arrays and equipped with high-performance batteries, hyper-deformable wheels and intelligent onboard management systems.
MONA LUNA is intended to be launched aboard Ariane 64 and deployed via the future Argonaut lunar lander.
MONA LUNA,
ENGINEERED FOR EXTREME
MONA LUNA is designed to operate in the most demanding lunar environments and to support long-duration missions.
Equipped with four-wheel drive and steering, combined with passive suspension damping, it can negotiate slopes of up to 33°, both ascending and descending.
Autonomous, capable of traversing complex terrain and reaching speeds of up to 20 km/h, it delivers robust and high-performance mobility.
Its power architecture enables sustained operations, including across multiple lunar nights.
A robotic arm allows for the handling and manipulation of instruments and payloads.
MONA LUNA is designed to operate in the most demanding lunar environments and to support long-duration missions.
Equipped with four-wheel drive and steering, combined with passive suspension damping, it can negotiate slopes of up to 33°, both ascending and descending.
Autonomous, capable of traversing complex terrain and reaching speeds of up to 20 km/h, it delivers robust and high-performance mobility.
Its power architecture enables sustained operations, including across multiple lunar nights.
A robotic arm allows for the handling and manipulation of instruments and payloads.
SERVING FUTURE LUNAR MISSIONS
MONA LUNA is a versatile platform supporting future European missions.
It will contribute to the utilisation of regolith, lunar resources and the surface environment, while enabling the testing of critical technologies under real mission conditions.
The rover will also perform operational functions, including payload transport, support for surface operations and, in the longer term, logistical support for crewed missions.
In emergency scenarios, it will be capable of transporting an astronaut in distress, in line with mission concepts studied by the European Space Agency.
MONA LUNA is a versatile platform supporting future European missions.
It will contribute to the utilisation of regolith, lunar resources and the surface environment, while enabling the testing of critical technologies under real mission conditions.
The rover will also perform operational functions, including payload transport, support for surface operations and, in the longer term, logistical support for crewed missions.
In emergency scenarios, it will be capable of transporting an astronaut in distress, in line with mission concepts studied by the European Space Agency.
Technologies developed by Venturi Space
Three state-of-the-art technologies developed at three sites: Monaco for the batteries, Switzerland for the wheels and France for onboard management systems.
“I’m still an explorer, first and foremost. Space is a new frontier, and MONA LUNA is how we are actually going to broach it. Alongside Europe, we aim to build an autonomous lunar exploration capability to meet the scientific, economic, and strategic challenges of tomorrow.”