Canada's new lunar utility rover will help astronauts build a future on the Moon
LONGUEUIL, QC, July 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon is an ambitious endeavour that requires international collaboration. A new generation of rovers with different capabilities will be essential, and partners around the world are working together to develop complementary technologies for the lunar surface.
Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, announced the award of three contracts totalling $14.6 million to advance the development of the new Canadian lunar utility rover. This investment marks the beginning of a long-term project that will draw on the skills and determination of experts across the country.
Canada's utility rover is set to provide critical assistance to astronauts and support operations, including transporting cargo, performing logistics and construction duties on the Moon. Over the next 18 months, Canadensys Aerospace Corporation, MDA Space and Mission Control will conduct preparatory studies to assess different options for the rover, including potential capacities depending on different sizes and scope.
The utility rover builds on decades of past investments in technology development that helped secure Canada's expertise in robotics, including rovers, and position our space sector for future opportunities related to lunar surface mobility. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) aims to develop a utility rover that lives up to both Canada's rich legacy in space and future ambitions for space exploration. These investments bring us closer to having a CSA astronaut live and work on the surface of the Moon.
Quotes
"Our government is steadfast in its commitment to championing ambitious initiatives that spark innovation and elevate Canada's leadership on the global stage. Through the design and development of this lunar utility rover, Canada will collaborate with international partners to shape the next era of human exploration of the Moon. Ultimately, the advancement of the lunar utility rover has the potential to open doors for Canadian businesses to expand and compete internationally and is expected to create and maintain 200 well-paying jobs over the next decade in an industrial sector that is amongst the most innovative and R&D intensive."
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
"Through smart and strategic procurement, our government is supporting cutting-edge technologies that not only honour our legacy in space but also pave the way for a Canadian astronaut to one day live and work on the Moon. Public Services and Procurement Canada is proud to play a key role in delivering the tools and partnerships that make this vision possible while supporting Canadian innovation and our economy."
- The Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement
Quick facts
- As part of the 2023 federal budget, the CSA secured funding of $1.43 billion to further contribute to lunar space exploration:
- $1.2 billion over 13 years to design and build a lunar utility rover
- $150 million over five years to advance concepts and enable the development of new technologies for the lunar utility rover under the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP)
- Over the next decade, the utility rover investments are expected to create and maintain 200 well-paying jobs in an industrial sector that is amongst the most innovative and R&D intensive.
- Advances in these rover technologies may be adapted for future missions to Mars and other deep-space endeavours, supporting Canada's long-term science, innovation and economic development objectives in the space sector.
- To respond to the unique challenges of the lunar environment, the rover must notably be designed to:
- Support a lifespan of minimum 10 years
- Survive the roughly two-week-long lunar night, with temperatures as low as -200 °C
- Be operated from a Canadian operations centre on Earth and by astronauts on the Moon or in orbit around the Moon
- Utilize robotic tools, scientific instruments and advanced sensors to support operations on the Moon
Associated links
Website: https://asc-csa.gc.ca
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SOURCE Canadian Space Agency