Lunar Outpost Oceania, as technical lead of the ELO2 Consortium, has been awarded the contract to deliver Australia’s first lunar rover, “Roo-ver.” This historic achievement marks a defining moment in Australian space exploration and solidifies the nation’s place on the global stage as it prepares to send its first rover to the Moon.
The Australian Government is funding the development of Roo-ver through the Australian Space Agency, with the lunar rover to be taken to the Moon by NASA later this decade. Since its establishment in 2023, Lunar Outpost Oceania has played a pivotal role in advancing Australia’s space robotics capabilities.
The team’s milestones include:
- Developing and testing four rover prototypes in under 15 months, showcasing unparalleled technical leadership.
- Successfully demonstrating remote operations by controlling a Consortium prototype rover in Adelaide from Colorado, USA replicating the communications delay between the Moon and Earth.
- Creating more than 19 advanced industry jobs in Victoria and providing career pathways for students, graduates, and mid-career professionals. The team is expected to over double in size with the new award.
- Achieving Australian Made certification for the team’s rovers, highlighting the nation’s ability to deliver cutting-edge space technologies.
- Winning Startup of the Year at the Australian Space Awards 2024, reflecting the team’s significant contributions to Australia’s space sector.
The ELO2 Consortium exemplifies the best of Australian collaboration, bringing together leading industry partners and research institutions to deliver technologies and workforce capability that will shape the future of space exploration. By creating local jobs, fostering international partnerships, and inspiring the next generation of space pioneers, the team is building a robust foundation for Australia’s lunar exploration efforts.
Australia is taking its place at the forefront of global space exploration, and Lunar Outpost Oceania is leading the charge alongside our partners in the ELO2 Consortium. With this Roo-ver mission, Australia is not just sending its first rover to the Moon — it is defining its role as a leader in the international space community.
“Australia’s inaugural lunar rover reflects the nation’s growing leadership and influence in the global space industry. This mission is unlocking access to international markets, creating high-quality jobs, and driving advanced technologies that deliver exponential economic impact.” said Justin Cyrus, CEO of Lunar Outpost. “As a key player in this mission, we’re proud to help establish Australia at the forefront of space exploration while advancing our mission to bring the infinite value of space to benefit humanity on Earth and beyond.”
“We are honored to have the opportunity to build and operate Australia’s first lunar rover,” said Joseph Kenrick, Program Manager of Lunar Outpost Oceania. “This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and the collaborative strength of the ELO2 Consortium. It’s an incredible privilege to contribute to this momentous step for Australia and its space industry.”
Statement from ELO2 selected to build Australian rover for the moon
The ELO2 Consortium, co-led by EPE Oceania and Lunar Outpost Oceania, has been selected by the Hon. Ed Husic MP, Minister for Science and Industry, to deliver Australia’s first lunar rover.
The $42 million Australian Space Agency project will see ELO2 design, construct, and operate the Australian-made rover, “Roo-ver,” on the lunar surface.
“This is an extraordinary moment for our nation,” said a joint statement from the co-leads, EPE Oceania and Lunar Outpost Oceania. “It is a privilege to contribute to this groundbreaking national mission and to showcase the world-class talent and capabilities of our Australian research and industry partners on the global stage.”
The ELO2 Consortium is an unparalleled collaboration of industry organizations and leading research organizations from across Australia focused on space exploration. The group includes contributions from universities, SMEs, and industry giants, and will harness expertise from all states and territories to undertake the mission. Together, they will pioneer Australia’s lunar exploration by delivering a rover that is fully designed, manufactured, and tested in Australia—demonstrating the country’s technical leadership and engineering prowess.
The selection of ELO2 follows its remarkable achievements in the preliminary design process, during which four rover prototypes were developed and rigorously tested by the Consortium partners with $4 million funding from the Australian Space Agency. As the Grantee, EPE Oceania brings a 25 year legacy of trusted partnership with the Commonwealth and leadership in Defence, national security and extreme environment robotics technology.
Co-lead, Lunar Outpost Oceania, leverages expertise in cutting-edge space robotics and exploration to spearhead the mission’s technical success and support commercialization of the Consortium’s technical developments from Australia and into the growing global space supply chain.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent Australia on the global stage and to contribute to the international advancement of lunar exploration,” said the Consortium co-leads. “It will create new jobs in the Australian Space Industry, new internship and research opportunities, and will culminate in an Australian lunar rover being remotely operated on the Moon from Australia.”
Work on the Roo-ver mission will develop critical technologies in the national interest for commercialization and benefit here on Earth. Key technologies under development for the mission include advanced manufacturing, novel materials, extreme environment robotics, AI and autonomous systems, advanced sensors, power systems, communications, human-machine interface for remote operations and thermal management. Terrestrial application of these critical space technologies build on Australia’s existing strengths in remote operations and resources, building critical capabilities in Australia that can be exported to international markets.
Work on the mission will start immediately, as NASA finalizes launch details with the Australian Space Agency. Once on the Moon, the rover will undertake a science mission to understand the lunar surface and support Australia’s contribution to the Artemis Program.
For further information about the ELO2 Consortium or to register interest in employment and internship opportunities, visit this direct link…