posted 03-12-2019 08:29 PM               

JAXA and Toyota Reach Agreement on Taking Up the Challenge of International Space Exploration

Aim is to make future lunar mobility a reality

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) agreed today (March 12) to study the possibility of collaborating on international space exploration. As a first step, JAXA and Toyota agreed to further cooperate on and accelerate their ongoing joint study of a manned, pressurized rover that employs fuel cell vehicle technologies. Such a form of mobility is deemed necessary for human exploration activities on the lunar surface. Even with the limited amount of energy that can be transported to the moon, the pressurized rover would have a total lunar-surface cruising range of more than 10,000 km.

International space exploration, aiming to achieve sustainable prosperity for all of humankind by expanding the domain of human activity and giving rise to intellectual properties, has its sights set on the moon and Mars. To achieve the goals of such exploration, coordination between unmanned missions, such as the recent successful touchdown by the asteroid probe Hayabusa2 on the asteroid Ryugu, and manned missions, such as those involving humans using pressurized rovers to conduct activities on the moon, is essential. When it comes to challenging missions such as lunar or Martian exploration, while various countries are competing in advancing their technologies, they are also advancing their cooperative efforts.

JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa had this to say today about the agreement between JAXA and Toyota: "At JAXA, we are pursuing international coordination and technological studies toward Japan's participation in international space exploration. We aim to contribute through leading Japanese technologies that can potentially generate spin-off benefits. Having Toyota join us in the challenge of international space exploration greatly strengthens our confidence. Manned rovers with pressurized cabins are an element that will play an important role in full-fledged exploration and use of the lunar surface. For this, we would like to concentrate our country's technological abilities and conduct technological studies. Through our joint studies going forward, we would like to put to use Toyota's excellent technological abilities related to mobility, and we look forward to the acceleration of our technological studies for the realization of a manned, pressurized rover."

Toyota President Akio Toyoda said this: "The automotive industry has long done business with the concepts of 'hometown' and 'home country' largely in mind. However, from now on, in responding to such matters as environmental issues of global scale, the concept of 'home planet', from which all of us come, will become a very important concept. Going beyond the frameworks of countries or regions, I believe that our industry, which is constantly thinking about the role it should fulfill, shares the same aspirations of international space exploration. Furthermore, cars are used in all of Earth's regions, and, in some regions, cars play active roles as partners for making sure that people come back alive. And I think that coming back alive is exactly what is needed in this project. I am extremely happy that, for this project, expectations have been placed on the thus-far developed durability and driving performance of Toyota vehicles and on our fuel cell environmental technologies."

Also, at a symposium held today in Tokyo's Minato Ward, JAXA Vice President Koichi Wakata and Toyota Executive Vice President Shigeki Terashi engaged in a talk session. Excerpts from that session are shown below.

Comments by JAXA Vice President Wakata:

"At JAXA, we are studying various scenarios as well as technologies that will be applied to specific space missions. Manned, pressurized rovers will be an important element supporting human lunar exploration, which we envision will take place in the 2030s. We aim at launching such a rover into space in 2029.

"Lunar gravity is one-sixth of that on Earth. Meanwhile, the moon has a complex terrain with craters, cliffs, and hills. Moreover, it is exposed to radiation and temperature conditions that are much harsher than those on Earth, as well as an ultra-high vacuum environment. For wide ranging human exploration of the moon, a pressurized rover that can travel more than 10,000 km in such environments is a necessity. Toyota's 'space mobility' concept meets such mission requirements. Toyota and JAXA have been jointly studying the concept of a manned, pressurized rover since May of 2018.

"Thus far, our joint study, has examined a preliminary concept for a manned, pressurized rover system, and we have identified the technological issues that must be solved. Going forward, we want to utilize Toyota's and JAXA's technologies, human resources, and knowledge, among others, to continuously solve those issues.

"International space exploration is a challenge to conquer the unknown. To take up such a challenge, we believe it is important to gather our country's technological capabilities and engage as 'Team Japan'. Through our collaboration with Toyota as the starting point, we can further expand the resources of `Team Japan` in the continued pursuit of international space exploration."

Comment by Toyota Executive Vice President Terashi:

"As an engineer, there is no greater joy than being able to participate in such a lunar project by way of Toyota's car-making and, furthermore, by way of our technologies related to electrified vehicles, such as fuel cell batteries, and our technologies related to automated driving. I am filled with great excitement.

"Fuel cells, which use clean power-generation methods, emit only water, and, because of their high energy density, they can provide a lot of energy, making them especially ideal for the project being discussed with JAXA.

"Toyota believes that achieving a sustainable society of mobility on Earth will involve the coexistence and widespread use of electrified vehicles, such as hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. For electrification, fuel cell batteries represent an indispensable technology.

"Fuel cell vehicles have the ability to emit reduced amounts of the harmful substances, such as particulate matter, that are found in the air they take in. As such, they are characterized by having so-called 'minus emissions'. We want to further improve on this characteristic.

"Contributing to Earth's environment cannot be achieved without the widespread use of electrified vehicles. As a full-line manufacturer of electrified vehicles, and aiming for the widespread use of such vehicles, Toyota — going beyond only making complete vehicles — wants to provide electrification to its customers in various forms, such as through systems and technologies.

"Our joint studies with JAXA are a part of this effort. Being allowed to be a member of 'Team Japan', we would like to take up the challenge of space."

Concept proposal for the pressurized rover being studied by JAXA and Toyota

• 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)

posted 08-28-2020 10:54 AM               

JAXA and Toyota Announce "Lunar Cruiser" As Nickname for Manned Pressurized Rover

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced today 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 nickname Lunar Cruiser was chosen because of the familiar feeling it offers the people involved in the development and manufacture of the vehicle prototype as part of the joint research project as well as the familiarity it will provide the general public. 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.

JAXA and Toyota signed a joint research agreement to work on a manned pressurized lunar rover last year, on June 13, 2019, with an expected launch date in the latter half of the 2020s. Together, they are working to manufacture test parts for each technological element, and the prototype rover itself, during this fiscal year (FY2020). The work involves the use of simulations to confirm power and heat dissipation performance while driving, the manufacture and assessment of prototype tires, and the use of virtual reality and full-scale models to consider the layout of equipment in the cabin of the Lunar Cruiser.

Furthermore, as part of their efforts to create new partners with "Team Japan," JAXA and Toyota have been discussing laterally with a variety of industries via study meetings based on the theme of "a lunar society pioneered by the manned pressurized rover" (also known as Team Japan Study Meeting)*. The meetings focus on how the manned pressurized rover becomes the starting point of a vision of a future lunar surface-based society while discussing the challenges associated with the creation of this type of society.

JAXA and Toyota will gather the knowledge, experience and technological capabilities of enterprises from across a variety of industries in their attempt to realize their dream of sustaining continuous activities on the surface of the moon as "Team Japan," moving forward.

posted 05-27-2021 11:10 AM               

Data Acquisition on the Lunar Surface with a Transformable Lunar Robot, Assisting Development of the Crewed Pressurized Rover

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to obtain data on the lunar surface by utilizing a transformable lunar robot. The data collected will aid the design for the studied crewed pressurized rover. The transformable lunar robot is being jointly developed by JAXA, TOMY Company, Ltd. (Tomy Company), Sony Group Corporation (Sony), and Doshisha University. Transportation of the robot to the Moon will be conducted by Japan's ispace, inc. (ispace).

Above: Transformable lunar robot (left: before transformation, right: after transformation). Size: approx. 80mm in diameter (before transformation). Weight: approx. 250g. (JAXA/TOMY/Sony)

The lunar surface, where the crewed pressurized rover will travel, is a unique environment; the gravity is one-sixth of that on Earth and the surface is covered by regolith, sand on the Moon. As a result of the system conceptual study for the crewed pressurized rover that began in 2019, it was found that data acquisition on the lunar surface is needed for the detailed study of autonomous driving technology and cruising technology to be utilized by the crewed pressurized rover.

In order to acquire this data, a transformable lunar robot (Fig. 1) will be transported to the lunar surface by ispace's lunar lander (Fig. 2) (to be launched in 2022). While the robot travels on the lunar surface, images on behavior of the regolith, and images of lunar surface taken by the robot and the camera on the lunar lander will be sent to the mission control center via the lunar lander.

Above: Lunar lander. (ispace)

The acquired data will be used for evaluation of the localization algorithm and the impact of the regolith on driving performance of the crewed pressurized rover. ispace was selected as a result of an open bidding process for the lunar transportation of the transformable lunar robot and data acquisition and sighed a contract in April 2021.

A joint study on the transformable lunar robot has started since 2016 under the framework of the Request For Proposal (RFP) from the JAXA Space Exploration Innovation Hub, JAXA and TOMY Company, joined by Sony in 2019 and Doshisha University in 2021. The transformable lunar robot will be an ultra-compact and ultra-lightweight robot that can traverse in the harsh lunar environment by employing the miniaturization technologies of TOMY Company and Doshisha University, the control technologies of Sony, and the development technologies for handling the space environment of JAXA. The robot has a feature to transform into a running form after arriving at the lunar surface, which contributes to a reduction in volume during transportation to the Moon. Therefore, it is expected to play active roles in future lunar exploration missions as well.

JAXA will continue to conduct studies for realizing international space exploration by utilizing the lunar landing opportunities and technologies offered by commercial companies.