A consortium of 21 startups, space and manufacturing companies, mining giant BHP and several universities will collaborate in a project to put an Australian-made rover on the Moon.
The ELO2 Consortium, co-led by EPE Oceania and Lunar Outpost Oceania, is part of NASA’s Artemis Moon exploration program. The group has been charged with a $42 million Australian Space Agency (ASA) project to design, construct and operate the “Roo-ver” on the lunar surface, to showcase and develop the nation’s Australian aerospace and robotics capabilities.
The Australian government is funding the development of Roo-ver through the ASA, with plans for NASA to send the rover 384,400km from Earth later this decade.
The semi-autonomous Roo-ver will be charged with collecting lunar soil and data on the lunar surface as well as supporting Artemis Program and testing other capabilities to sustain human habitation a three-day rocket ride from the Blue Planet.
The selection of ELO2 follows a preliminary design process with the four rover prototypes developed and tested by the Consortium partners thanks to $4 million in funding from the ASA.
Melbourne startup Lunar Outpost Oceania, founded in 2023, is technical lead of the ELO2 Consortium. The team spent the last 15 months developing and testing four rover prototypes and successfully demonstrating its remote operations in Adelaide from Colorado, USA, to replicate communications delays between the Moon and Earth. The company was named Startup of the Year at the Australian Space Awards.
The chosen ELO2 Roo-ver prototype
CEO Justin Cyrus said the startup has created more than 19 advanced industry jobs in Victoria and expects the team is expected to double as part of the project.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
EPE Oceania is the project’s grantee and a 25-year veteran of partnerships with the Commonwealth in defence, national security and extreme environment robotics technology.
The project is also expected to create tech for Australia to terrestrial use, spanning advanced manufacturing to novel materials, extreme environment robotics, AI and autonomous systems, advanced sensors, power systems, communications, human-machine interface for remote operations and thermal management.
Alongside Sydney, Tasmania, Melbourne, RMIT, Edith Cowan and Monash universities, Swinburne’s Space Technology and Industry Institute (STII) will provide space radiation and lunar dust mitigation technology for the rover to protect it from the extreme environment.
STII Co-Director Dr Rebecca Allen said evaluating and testing how the Moon’s hazardous radiation and harsh environment will affect the rover’s capabilities is critical.
“This includes advancing active dust mitigation, as well as tackling the challenges of lunar conditions, zero gravity and radiation simulations,” she said.
“One of the biggest challenges of lunar operations is managing moon dust. Far more than a mere inconvenience, this fine, sharp and abrasive powder blankets the Moon’s surface and can travel vast distances – potentially hundreds of metres or even kilometres in zero gravity. With particles as sharp as shards of glass, lunar dust can clog and jam critical mechanisms such as equipment conveyors, lock buttons, cameras, and even vacuum systems.”
Work on the mission will begin immediately, as NASA finalises launch details.
If you’re keen to be a part of the lunar rover project, you can register interest in employment and internships here.
The 4 prototypes developed by ELO2.
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