Australia's first ever Moon rover - Roo-ver - has its mission.
Roo-ver will be carried to the lunar surface on CT-4, delivered through NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. CT-4 is scheduled for lift-off around the end of this decade.
NASA has entrusted Roo-ver with the key objectives of studying the Moon's surface and collecting new data that supports global space science and exploration goals.
Roo-ver will also be supercharged with an integrated NASA payload - an analysis instrument intended to demonstrate technology for scientific and exploration purposes.
In time, Roo-ver's explorations will help global efforts to establish possible sustainable human presence in space.
This mission is a giant leap for Australia. Roo-ver's journey will be the furthest any Australian space object has travelled showcasing Australia's advanced manufacturing and technical capabilities on the Moon.
Roo-ver is being designed, built, and operated by the ELO2 consortium in partnership with the Australian Space Agency. The consortium is made up of around 20 Australian organisations - from space start-ups and small businesses to major resources companies, universities, and other research partners.
The Australian Government is investing $42 million into the development, design, build and operation of Roo-ver.
