WASHINGTON: US-based aerospace startup Venturi Astrolab has unveiled a prototype of an interplanetary rover that is designed to transport cargo and people across the surface of the Moon - and eventually, Mars one day. Called FLEX, for Flexible Logistics and Exploration, the truck-sized rover can crouch down and lift payloads up from the surface of the Moon, carrying them under its belly before depositing them at their intended location.
The rover can manoeuvre semi-autonomously, be controlled remotely - or it can even be modified to include a crew interface, allowing astronauts to ride on the rover while guiding it through lunar terrain. With its "modular payload concept," it can also carry many different types of objects, the report said. The company, launched in January 2020, said it plans to build a fleet of these rovers over the coming decade to help NASA and commercial companies establish a long-term presence on the Moon. IANS
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