Toyota reveals plans for manned lunar rover with regenerative fuel cell technology

Toyota Motor (7203.T) executives announced on Friday their intention to employ regenerative fuel cell technology to power a manned lunar rover.

This move hints at the potential utilization of the moon’s water ice as an energy resource in the future. Japan, with increased space ambitions under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is actively involved in NASA’s Artemis program.

As part of this program, Japan aims to station an astronaut at the lunar space station named Gateway during the latter half of the 2020s.

Since 2019, Toyota has been collaborating with Japan’s space agency to develop the Lunar Cruiser, the first manned lunar rover intended for deployment on the moon by 2029.

“In order to conduct long-term and stable research on the surface of the moon, we are aiming to source various items on site over a long period,” said Ken Yamashita, said Ken Yamashita, Toyota’s head of lunar exploration project.

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Japan’s contribution to NASA’s Artemis program includes providing a lunar rover scheduled for launch in 2029, as stated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Toyota plans to utilize a fuel cell vehicle that generates electricity through the separation of hydrogen using a catalyst.

Their technology will harness solar energy and water through electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen during daylight hours, with fuel cells supplying electricity at night.

This innovation allows the lunar rover to operate continuously, even during the 14-day lunar night, which is cold and dark. Toyota aims to secure an order for the manned lunar rover by the following autumn.

The vehicle is designed to accommodate two astronauts for 42 days annually and remain operational for a decade.

“Our idea is to continue with the lunar rover longer than those 10 years if there’s a company or arrangement that can supply the water needed for that,” Yamashita said, adding that pure water will have to be sent into space first.

Toyota recognizes it may not extract usable water from the moon’s ice water for fuel cells or conduct mining on its own. It expects to depend on other firms or future developments for these tasks.

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