Australia plans lunar rover to help NASA find oxygen on moon
CANBERRA : Australia has agreed to build a
20-kilogram (44-pound) semi-autonomous lunar rover for NASA to take to the moon
as early as 2026 in search of oxygen.
The rover would collect soil that contains oxides and NASA
would use separate equipment to extract oxygen from that soil, a government
statement said. Oxygen extracted from the lunar surface would ultimately be
used to sustain a human presence on the moon and support future missions to
Mars.
Australian Space Agency deputy head Anthony Murfett said
NASA had been impressed by technology used to remotely control from 1,600
kilometers (1,000 miles) huge dump trucks that transport iron ore from mines in
northwest Australia.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the agreement would
strengthen a relationship with Australia related to space exploration that
dates back more than 50 years.
The agreement depends on the rover meeting a range of
conditions during its development
Source abcnews
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