Toyota and Japan space agency plan joint mission to the moon

Why is it in news?
  • Toyota is teaming up with Japan’s space agency on a planned mission to the moon, with the Japanese auto giant expected to develop a lunar rover.
  • It will be the car manufacturer’s first full-fledged entry into space exploration, after the company jointly developed a robot sent to the International Space Station.
More in news
  • Mobility method: Toyota, car giant, is expected to jointly develop a “mobility method” to be used on the lunar surface for the mission.
  • Previous landings on moon:
    (1) So far, only Russia, the United States and China have made the 3,84,000-km journey and landed spacecraft on the moon.
    (2) Last month, Israel launched a spacecraft that aims to join them.
  • Future plans:
    (1) In 2017, Japan revealed plans to put an astronaut on the Moon around 2030.
    (2) Before humans set foot on the lunar surface again, NASA aims to land an unmanned vehicle on the moon by 2024.
Source
The Hindu




Posted by Jawwad Kazi on 7th Mar 2019
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