Hyundai begins work on moon rover for South Korea

SEOUL, April 21 (UPI) -- South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor said it has begun work on a test version of a rover for use in lunar explorations.

Last year, the Seoul-based automaker signed a partnership agreement with six Korean research institutes in the aerospace sector to work toward the development of a mobility solution for lunar surface exploration.

Among the partners were the Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, both prominent, state-sponsored organizations.

The goal of the group is to build the initial test unit by the latter half of 2024, with the aim of completing a model with full launch capabilities by 2027.

South Korea successfully launched its first home-grown rocket last June, deploying a satellite into low-Earth orbit, and has plans to put a robotic lander onto the lunar surface by 2031.

Hyundai said Thursday it will offer its know-how in robotics and autonomous driving technologies, with assistance from its affiliate Hyundai Rotem, a leader in robotics manufacturing.

According to the plan, components made by Hyundai will occupy the lower half of the rover, while the upper half will consist of scientific payloads necessary to carry out surface explorations.

Once complete, the group intends to land the rover near the south pole section of the moon. The solar-powered, autonomous mobility unit is expected to weigh about 155 pounds.

Although Hyundai Motor's main business is automobiles, it has been investing heavily in robotics in the past several years.

In 2021, the company spent $880 million to purchase Boston Dynamics, a leader in development of "agile" robots, from Softbank Group.

"Hyundai Motor Group has consistently stated that it's our goal to contribute to expanding human reach and the scope of the human mobility experience," Hyundai Executive Vice President Kim Yong-wha said in a statement.

"The work on the lunar exploration mobility test model not only reflects this resolve but also reflects our ambition for achieving tangible results in the face of major challenges," he said.