Toyota is working in partnership with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop a vehicle capable of driving on other planets. It will be named the Lunar Cruiser and it looks like something straight from a Stanley Kubrick sci-fi movie. It is being designed to have the capability of safely and competently tackling the barren and rough terrain on the Moon’s surface and will be powered by a fuel cell similar to what is already in use in the Toyota Mirai.
Both parties agreed to commence work on the Lucan Cruiser last year and the plan is to have a vehicle capable of being launched before the end of the decade. Through computer simulation and virtual reality, the teams are hoping to reduce the amount of development time required. The plan is to have a full-scale prototype produced by 2022 that will undergo evaluation and verification tests to see how the drive systems operate. By 2024 it is envisioned that an engineering model will be ready so that design work on the flight model can begin. If all of that goes to plan, then a fully operational version could be prepared by 2027.
Toyota has good experience already with the development of hydrogen fuel cells and this source of fuel was chosen because, in general, these are lighter and more compact than lithium-ion batteries found in an electric car. When it comes to transporting objects beyond our atmosphere weight is a critical thing, and the engineers calculated that the size of the fuel cells required is approximately one-fifth the mass of lithium-ion batteries and 20 per cent smaller in overall volume. One of the byproducts of generating electricity with the fuel cell is water, and this can be used for cooling the vehicle and as drinking water for the crew.
A single full tank of hydrogen could give the Lunar Cruiser a driving range of more than 600 miles and the possibility to produce more hydrogen on the Moon’s surface could result in enough fuel to cover almost 7,000 miles during the planned 42-day mission. As daytime can last up to two weeks, it means that night can also last the same amount of time, so the Lunar Cruiser will be equipped with a fold-out photovoltaic panel array to generate additional energy that can be stored.
The three-axle machine will be able to accommodate two crew members and have a roomy cabin measuring 13 square metres, making it roughly the size of two small vans. It will be operated manually or via an automated system onboard.
Keyword: Toyota Lunar Cruiser is out of this world… literally!