With hopes to have people living in outer space by 2040, car manufacturer Toyota is partnering with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to create a vehicle that can traverse the depths of the moon, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The premise of the vehicle is based on the perception of what activities can be done in cars, such as sleeping or eating, and understanding that the same can be done in outer space. According to Takao Sato, who is piloting the project at Toyota Motor Corp, the company sees "space as an area for our once-in-a-century transformation."
“By going to space, we may be able to develop telecommunications and other technology that will prove valuable to human life,” he told AP.
The space vehicle will be called the Lunar Cruiser, a tribute to Toyota’s already existing Land Cruiser. It is intended for launch late this decade.
Toyota said it sold nearly 10.5 million vehicles in 2021
Robotics startup Gitai Japan Inc. has also partnered with Toyota to develop a mechanical arm that has a “grapple fixture,” and will help the Lunar Cruiser carry out tasks that involve lifting or scooping.
Company officials also clarified that beyond the moon, they plan for people to live on Mars.
“Sending our cars to the moon is our mission,” Sato said. “But this is about taking our cars to somewhere we have never been.”
