Tag Archives: Dr. Antonio Delfino

Sci-Tech

New Moon Vehicle Will Safely Return Sick Astronauts To Artemis Base

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ALTA LUNA  © Venturi Space Paris, France September 2026 – Venturi Space unveils ALTA LUNA, a compact and manoeuvrable rover designed for local operations around future lunar bases. Designed to assist astronauts, it will also be able to carry out missions involving the handling and transport of payloads. At the International Space Summit, held in Paris on 9 and 10 September 2026, the team led by Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space, is presenting ALTA LUNA. This single-person lunar mobility vehicle has been conceived as a local utility vehicle capable of operating close to habitats.

With a target mass of 300 kg, ALTA LUNA’s compact size gives it a high degree of manoeuvrability. The vehicle is also designed to offer particularly high obstacle-crossing capability.

ALTA LUNA is designed to operate in two modes: with an astronaut on board or autonomously. In autonomous mode, navigation will rely on a combination of LiDAR, stereo cameras and artificial intelligence. AI will also be able to assist the astronaut in driving the vehicle.

In autonomous mode, ALTA LUNA will be able to carry out operations including excavation, grading and terrain preparation, as well as site development and the creation of routes and basic infrastructure. It will also be able to transport payloads. Each vehicle will be able to operate alone or in coordination with other ALTA LUNA vehicles. For certain operations, several vehicles will therefore be able to work together on the same task, pooling their efforts.

ALTA LUNA, VENTURI SPACE’S NEW LUNAR
UTILITY VEHICLEALTA LUNA · Payloads transport © Venturi SpaceThe onboard electronic system is designed to connect to the astronaut’s spacesuit and collect health data. If the astronaut becomes unwell, ALTA LUNA will be able to return the astronaut autonomously to base. The interface will also provide the pilot with essential information for driving and mission safety, including alerts relating to the space environment, such as an approaching solar storm.

With ALTA LUNA, Venturi Space is exploring a tracked mobility architecture for the first time as part of its lunar programmes. This choice has one specific objective: to allow the vehicle to climb steeper slopes than would be possible with a wheeled architecture.

ALTA LUNA will use the battery and battery management system (BMS) developed by Venturi Space. These two technologies are integrated into Venturi Astrolab’s CLV-1, which has been selected by NASA for the Artemis campaign.

Fifteen months after unveiling the MONA LUNA rover, and as the launch of FLIP to the lunar South Pole approaches (*), Venturi Space continues to strengthen its position in the space industry, just five years after its creation.

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Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space:
“I enjoy designing vehicles for extreme environments, but above all I like to see them prove their value in real-world conditions. I will therefore devote all the necessary energy to ensuring that ALTA LUNA supports the first inhabitants of the Moon in their daily lives”

Dr. Antonio Delfino, Director of Venturi Space:
“On the Moon, we will need to build, develop sites, transport, maintain and connect. We will face challenges similar to those of industrialisation on Earth: transport routes, habitats, infrastructure and logistics. This will require a range of specialised mobility solutions capable of operating as a fleet and carrying out a wide variety of missions. This is the new phase of lunar activity that we are preparing for”(*) Developed by the US company Venturi Astrolab, the FLIP rover is equipped with hyper-deformable wheels and high-performance batteries designed and manufactured by Venturi Space. Its launch aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lander is scheduled by the end of 2026, with the lunar South Pole as its destination. Venturi Space, a European company, is Venturi Astrolab’s strategic partner.

For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Sci-Tech

New Moon Rover Readies For 2030 Launch

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VENTURI SPACE PRESENTS MONA LUNA, 
THE EUROPEAN LUNAR ROVERMONA LUNA, designed by Sacha Lakic

Paris Air Show, Le Bourget, June 2025 – Venturi Space unveils MONA LUNA, its 100% European-built lunar rover. Designed to support the ambitions of the European Space Agency and the French CNES, the vehicle will be built at Venturi Space France’s facility in Toulouse. The ultimate aim is to provide Europe with a lunar-capable rover by 2030.

European autonomy in lunar mobility is a major strategic challenge. Venturi Space is helping to make that a reality with MONA LUNA, its upcoming lunar rover designed to meet the needs of ESA and national European space agencies. The vehicle will further Europe’s efforts to achieve technological independence in the field of lunar mobility, enabling it to get ahead of the industrial curve and achieve its space ambitions.

A project led by Venturi Space France 
Venturi Space France will oversee MONA LUNA’s development and space qualification from its base in Toulouse, coordinating every aspect of the process: onboard electronics, avionics, space-to-ground links, energy management systems, assembly, final integration, and acceptance testing in readiness for space flight. All with one clear objective: to deploy MONA LUNA at the Moon’s South Pole by 2030.

Backed by the ESA and CNES
The European Space Agency is supporting Venturi Space’s efforts to design and develop the critical technologies required for a large lunar rover, capable of surviving multiple lunar nights. ESA’s support validates Venturi Space’s approach and highlights its expertise. The project will draw on the experience acquired from the programmes to develop the FLIP and FLEX rovers under a strategic partnership with US-based company Venturi Astrolab, Inc. Venturi Space is currently designing and building the hyper-deformable wheels that will be fitted to those vehicles, along with the associated electrical systems (in Switzerland) and high-performance batteries (in Monaco).

Using technology made in Europe
MONA LUNA is designed to be carried into space by the Ariane 6.4 launch system and landed on the Moon’s surface by the European Argonaut lunar lander, while the rover itself will be equipped with a robotic arm to handle scientific instruments and payloads. It will be:
– electrically powered, recharging via solar panels,
– designed to move autonomously,
– equipped with three high-performance batteries,
– capable of carrying a wide range of payloads,
– designed to survive multiple lunar nights,
– capable of a top speed of 20 km/h,
– designed to weigh a total of 750 kg.

The rover could also be used in an emergency to carry an astronaut in difficulty, as envisaged by the ESA and CNES in their feasibility studies.
A clear commercial purpose
MONA LUNA’s maiden mission will focus on purely scientific applications, but future deployments could be organized to meet demand from the European private sector for a variety of purposes, including carrying payloads to the South Pole, exploiting lunar resources (such as helium-3) in situ, or even public outreach campaigns. This approach will help establish a sustainable long-term economic model for the rover, in much the same way as the early development of terrestrial mobility.


Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space:
“I’m still an explorer, first and foremost. Space is a new frontier, and MONA LUNA is how we are actually going to broach it. Alongside Europe, we aim to build an autonomous lunar exploration capability to meet the scientific, economic, and strategic challenges of tomorrow.”

Dr. Antonio Delfino, Director of Space Affairs at Venturi Space:
“Our primary focus is to make ourselves fully available to the ESA and European national space agencies. With MONA LUNA, we aim to deliver major technological breakthroughs that will pave the way for extended lunar mobility.”

For The Silo, Jarrod Barker.