Monaco-based company Venturi Space has unveiled a prototype for its upcoming European lunar rover, named "Mona Luna," during the Paris Air Show held on June 16. This development marks a significant pivot for Venturi, which transitioned to the aerospace industry in 2021 after two decades focusing on electric vehicles.

The rover is part of Venturi's expanding fleet of lunar vehicles, which includes previously developed rovers "Flip" and "Flex," scheduled for lunar missions in February 2026 and mid-2027, respectively.

The "Flex" rover has been preselected by NASA to support its Artemis III mission, enabling potential astronaut transportation by 2030.

"Mona Luna" is designed to operate on the lunar South Pole, providing critical technological autonomy and promoting industrial ambition within Europe, as stated by Gildo Pastor, the company's Monaco-based entrepreneur leading the initiative.

The rover aims to support the objectives of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French space agency, Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES).

The overall project management will take place in Toulouse, where Venturi Space France will be responsible for the rover's development, qualification for space conditions, and integration processes.

This includes managing onboard electronics, avionics, power management systems, and conducting final assembly and flight tests.

Weighing 750 kilograms, the rover is designed to endure multiple lunar nights, thanks to innovative technologies derived from past rovers developed with Los Angeles-based Venturi Astrolab.

Notably, the rover features hyper-deformable wheels, which are manufactured in Switzerland, and high-performance batteries produced in Monaco.

These technologies are critical, enabling the rover to function in the harsh lunar environment, which includes extreme temperatures and radiation exposure.

"Mona Luna" is engineered for transport via the Ariane 6.4 launch vehicle and will be deployed onto the lunar surface by an European lander, the Argonaut.

Equipped with a robotic arm, the rover is capable of manipulating scientific instruments and payloads, and is designed for electric propulsion with solar panel recharging.

The rover can achieve a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour and includes provisions to assist astronauts in emergencies, as outlined by CNES and ESA feasibility studies.

The commercial ambitions of Venturi Space are clear, aiming primarily at institutional markets with scientific applications while also catering to the needs of European industry and private stakeholders.

The rover's mission will include transporting payloads to the lunar South Pole and potentially exploiting local resources, such as helium-3.

Gildo Pastor indicated at the unveiling that the Moon serves as a stepping stone for broader space exploration goals, notably Mars.

Building on previous experiences, Venturi Space is also developing a versatile Martian rover intended to autonomously detect and extract water resources through integrated drilling systems.

The rover's primary objectives will include splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen, as well as combining it with carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere to produce oxygen and methane for spacecraft refueling operations.

Venturi Space's ambitions now extend beyond the Moon, marking a significant step in its broader space exploration strategy.