A Canadian utility rover on the Moon
- Launch: No earlier than
- Mission status: Concept development
Supporting logistics, crew operations, and science on the lunar surface
Rovers will be key to a sustainable human presence on the Moon. They will be used for transportation, logistics, science, and other operations that can be accomplished with robotic tools. They will allow astronauts to focus on tasks where human judgment and initiative are required.
Canada will provide a versatile utility rover as part of its contribution to the NASA-led Artemis program. This Canadian rover may be designed to:
- handle logistics tasks, such as moving cargo packages from their landing sites to the habitats and performing construction activities (e.g. preparing landing pads and laying cables)
- perform science investigations that will enable the Artemis missions and Moon exploration as a whole, such as scouting for navigation and surveying for ice or other resources
- support astronauts during spacewalks on the lunar surface
Key capabilities
The Canadian multi-purpose utility rover will feature key capabilities including:
- a design that allows it to survive the harsh lunar night, with temperatures as low as −200 °C and lasting about two Earth-weeks
- guidance and navigation control from a Canadian operations centre on Earth or by astronauts on the Moon
- tools that could include a small robotic arm to assist logistics and crew operations, and advanced sensors to scan and analyze the environment and enable semi-autonomous navigation, as well as science
The project is still in early concept development. Canadian companies will be selected as part of a competitive process to further develop concepts leading to the design, development, and operation of the multi-purpose utility rover. The rover is planned to be launched in the 2030s.
Leveraging Canada's heritage in space robotics
Contributing rovers as part of the international efforts to establish a long-term presence on the Moon builds on Canada's expertise in space robotics and on continued development in rover technologies.