ispace-Europe and Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company (ALTEC) are set to collaborate on lunar rover testing, mission simulations, and operations training in a new pan-European partnership. ispace-Europe and ALTEC will assess opportunities for ispace-Europe to use ALTEC facilities to simulate rover platform operations in lunar analog environments. The two companies announced the MoU, Oct. 12.
ALTEC is a public-private company owned by Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It operates the Rover Operations Control Center (ROCC), the mission control facility for ESA’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, which is currently used for ground testing of rover systems. ALTEC is also developing a new Lunar Simulation Center, funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), dedicated to the simulation and testing of robotic lunar exploration missions and related operational activities.
ispace-Europe is the European subsidiary of Japanese lunar lander company.
The agreement will also explore broader cooperation potentially related to lunar exploration technologies, lunar mobility, and space resource utilization. The new facility will aim to provide analog environments and capabilities to support the testing and validation of technologies, systems and operational concepts for future lunar missions, further strengthening Italy’s role in planetary exploration.
“Testing, simulation and operator training in analog lunar environments are essential to successful lunar surface operations. Through this collaboration with ALTEC, we have the opportunity to bring together ispace-Europe’s expertise in lunar rover development and operations with ALTEC’s advanced lunar analog facilities, as well as their expertise testing for planetary mission operations. This agreement reflects the growing strength of Europe’s lunar exploration ecosystem,” Julien-Alexandre Lamamy, CEO of ispace-Europe, said in a statement.
