Tag Archives: Gildo Pastor

Sci-Tech

European Lunar Rover Mona Luna Completes First Driving Tests

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MONA LUNA at Luna · Design: Sacha Lakic ©Venturi Space/Romero
Toulouse, December 2025 — Five months after being unveiled at the Paris Air Show, the European lunar rover MONA LUNA has successfully completed a test campaign at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) LUNA centre in Cologne, Germany. A key outcome: the vehicle shows remarkable adaptability to loose soil, slopes, and obstacles.

The first outing of the European lunar rover MONA LUNA reflects the collective work of Venturi Space’s three sites. Monaco, Switzerland and France worked hand‑in‑hand to design, develop, assemble and test the rover.

Weighing 750 kg (extendable to 1,000 kg), MONA LUNA will serve two primary objectives: to explore the lunar surface and to test critical technologies for sustainable lunar mobility. Thanks to its four wheel‑drive and four‑wheel steering system, along with passive‑damping suspension, MONA LUNA climbed and descended slopes of up to 33 degrees, exceeding initial expectations. The first results confirm the rover’s potential: The contact area of the hyper‑deformable wheels is exceptional, both on loose soil and rolling terrain.

This confirms the findings of intensive tests carried out at NASA between 2022 and 2025,Traction exceeds forecasts, Large rocky obstacles are crossed effortlessly, Dynamic stability on slopes meets programme requirements, The onboard electronic systems demonstrated excellent operational performance. Designed to support the ambitions of the European Space Agency (ESA) and France’s Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), MONA LUNA already incorporates technologies that will operate on the Moon next summer — but on board another rover: FLIP. This vehicle will be equipped with the same hyper‑deformable wheels, batteries, heating systems and temperature sensors as the European rover. FLIP is developed by the North American company Venturi Astrolab, Venturi Space’s strategic partner. FLIP will also benefit from another innovative technology developed by Venturi Space: the mechanical system enabling the rover to exit the lunar lander.

Another shared feature between MONA LUNA and FLIP is their bodywork, designed by Sacha Lakic.In parallel with the MONA LUNA development programme, Venturi Space continues to expand its industrial ecosystem and will lay the first stone of its flagship facility next spring: a site of more than 10,000 m² in Toulouse, just steps away from the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES). It is here that, in the first half of 2028, 150 engineers will work on the design and manufacturing of MONA LUNA, in close collaboration with the Swiss and Monegasque entities responsible for the hyper‑deformable wheels, heating systems, cryogenic materials, the rover‑lander egress system, and the high‑performance batteries.

Quotes
Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration at the ESA:
“I was truly impressed by the way MONA LUNA handled LUNA’s challenging terrain. Watching its wheels deform and adapt to the regolith, slopes and rocks… it is remarkable. If MONA LUNA were to be selected for one of our missions, it would be a tremendous opportunity for Europe.”

Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space:
“Seeing MONA LUNA operate on the legendary LUNA site is a profound source of pride. This rover demonstrates the performance of our wheels, our suspension systems, our electronics… and therefore the quality of the work achieved by all our teams in Toulouse, Monaco and Switzerland. We know we have only completed 1% of the journey that, I hope, will take us to the Moon.”

Dr. Antonio Delfino, Director of Space Affairs at Venturi Space:
“These driving tests were primarily dedicated to locomotion. We wanted to understand how MONA LUNA behaves on loose soil, on slopes and when facing significant obstacles. The results exceed our expectations. The ability of these wheels to ‘float’ on the surface is essential to avoid becoming bogged down in lunar regolith.”

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.

Sci-Tech

Moon Rover Driver & French Astronaut Join Monaco Prince For Visit Of New Moon Rover Lab

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PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO, APOLLO 15 COMMANDER DAVID SCOTT AND ASTRONAUT JEAN-FRANCOIS CLERVOY VISITING VENTURI SPACE 
Monaco, November 2024 – Gildo Pastor, President of the Monegasque company Venturi Space, welcomed HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, General David Scott – the first person to have driven a rover on the Moon and Commander of the Apollo 15 mission – and astronaut Jean-François Clervoy.

As a prelude to the lunar missions in which Venturi Space will participate in 2025 and 2026, its President, Gildo Pastor, invited Prince Albert II of Monaco and former astronauts David Scott and Jean-François Clervoy to learn more about the upcoming programme and the advanced technologies developed by Venturi Space’s European bases (Monaco, Switzerland, and France) as part of their collaboration with the North American strategic partner, Venturi Astrolab, Inc. This US-based entity is developing multi-purpose rovers optimised for the needs of the lunar South Pole: FLIP, which will become operational in 2025, and FLEX, scheduled for launch with SpaceX in 2026 at the earliest. FLEX is also one of three mobility solutions shortlisted by NASA for the Artemis V mission in 2030.
In the presence of Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister for External Relations and Cooperation; Pierre-André Chiappori, Minister for Finance and the Economy; HE Maguy Maccario-Doyle, Monaco’s Ambassador to the United States of America; and Frédéric Genta, Interministerial Delegate for Attractiveness and Digital Transition, the visit consisted of five main stages:

-A presentation of the FLIP and FLEX rovers,
-An overview of Venturi Space Monaco’s lunar battery manufacturing technologies and techniques,
-A discussion of the upcoming missions of Venturi Astrolab and Venturi Space, featuring insights from David Scott and Jean-François Clervoy,
-A presentation of Venturi Space Switzerland’s hyper-deformable lunar wheel technology,
-An exhibition by Philippe Tondeur dedicated to the helmets and suits of aerospace history.‘ Venturi Space is taking on a very serious challenge! The FLEX rover is very different from the one I drove, it’s much bigger and will have an enormous operating life. It seems to me that the teams are doing a good job, and I wish them good luck.’ – General David Scott.

‘I’m passionate about space exploration and wheeled vehicles. Welcoming the first person to have driven a rover on the Moon, in the presence of the Sovereign and Jean-François Clervoy, brings me immense pleasure’ – Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space.
Sci-Tech

Astrolab FLEX Moon Rover Nears South Pole Mission

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Monaco, April 2024 The American company Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab), a strategic partner of the Monegasque Venturi Group, has been awarded a NASA contract to support the development of Artemis campaign’s lunar terrain vehicle. Its rover, known as FLEX, is equipped with batteries and wheels developed by Gildo Pastor’s teams in Monaco and Switzerland.

Gildo Pastor is no stranger to specialized high-performance vehicles- here with Bugatti EB110 he drove to win the world record for fastest car on ice in 1995.

Astrolab is one of three teams to win contract awards. Astrolab’s contract is worth up to $1.9 billion usd / $2.56 billion cad. Collectively the three contract winners may be awarded task orders over the next 13 years with a total potential value of $4.6 billion usd/ $6.2 billion cad over the life of the program. The contracts allow for two additional years for the completion of services.
With this announcement, and after two decades dedicated to high-performance terrestrial electric vehicles, Venturi is taking another major step forward. Indeed, the industrial Group led by its President Gildo Pastor designs and manufactures the lunar vehicle’s wheels and batteries. The hyper-deformable wheels, developed and manufactured by the Venturi’s Swiss entity in collaboration with Astrolab, were presented at the Paris Air Show in June 2023. As for the batteries, these will be manufactured in Monaco in specifically designed facilities at the heart of the Venturi’s historic headquarters.

SpaceX’s Starship launch and landing system will deliver FLEX to the lunar surface in mid-2026.

Astrolab first revealed the full-scale working prototype for its Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover in March of 2022. In the years since, Astrolab, has conducted thousands of hours of laboratory and field testing that has led to numerous design improvements. The improvements to the wheels and batteries came as a result of tests Astrolab conducted together with Venturi’s engineers.

As required by NASA, FLEX can carry two suited astronauts, accommodate a robotic arm to support science exploration, perform robotic cargo logistics, and survive the extreme temperatures at the lunar South Pole, which is a technological challenge, particularly for the hyper-deformable wheels and batteries. FLEX can be operated remotely from Earth even when astronauts are not present, or it can be operated by suited astronauts.
Once FLEX arrives on the lunar surface, Astrolab expects that FLEX will become the largest and most capable rover to ever travel to the Moon. With a maximum combined rover and cargo mass of more than two tons, the FLEX rover is nearly three times the mass of its largest predecessor. This increased capacity provides significantly more opportunities to conduct scientific experiments and commercial endeavors on the lunar surface.
“Through our strategic partnership with Astrolab, I am proud to see the Venturi Group’s know-how validated by NASA. After 20 years of innovation and world speed records in the field of terrestrial electric vehicles, we are now involved in an adventure that will go down in the history books: when Man returns to the Moon! When I see this rover, equipped with our wheels and batteries, operating up there I will have made my greatest dream come true“. – Gildo Pastor, President of the Venturi Group.

“Astrolab is honored to have its FLEX rover selected by NASA to participate in the development of creating a Lunar Terrain Vehicle for the Artemis Campaign. Our entire team, together with our business partners, including our strategic partner Venturi Group, are committed to delivering to NASA an LTV that serves as a critical tool in the agency’s efforts to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.” – Jaret Matthews, founder & CEO, Astrolab.
Sci-Tech

New Lunar Rover Will Be Largest Ever And Includes Disruptive Innovations

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Recently, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco visited Venturi Group’s Monegasque headquarters.

photos: Venturi/Bebert
Welcomed by the Group’s President, Gildo Pastor, the Sovereign was invited to take a historic first look at the lunar rover “FLEX”, developed by Venturi Astrolab (USA) in collaboration with Venturi Lab (Switzerland) and Venturi (Monaco).

FLEX will be the largest and most advanced lunar vehicle ever made.

It will be landed on the surface of the Moon by American firm SpaceX in 2026. Fans of Canada’s robotic space arm Canadarm take note: the lunar rover includes its own ‘in house’ designed and built robotic arm.


Since 2000, the Venturi Group has specialized in the design and manufacture of high-performance electric vehicles. Whether through world records, expeditions on hostile terrain, the creation of the first electric sports car, the development of innovative vehicles or its involvement in the Formula E World Championship, the Venturi Group embodies and demonstrates all the capabilities of the electric vehicle on 2 or 4 wheels.


Since 2021, Venturi Lab is part of the Venturi Group. The company invents, studies, designs and manufactures mobility solutions capable of handling the extreme environmental conditions found on the Moon and Mars. In 2026, Venturi Astrolab’s FLEX rover – for which the Venturi Group will have designed and manufactured innovative technologies resulting from disruptive innovations – will be in operation on the Moon. For the Silo, Fabrice Brouwers/Venturi.

ABOUT VENTURI ASTROLAB, INC.
Venturi Astrolab, Inc (Astrolab) is on a mission to advance humanity to the next horizon by designing, building and operating a fleet of versatile rovers for all planetary surface needs. Comprised of a highly specialised team of former NASA, SpaceX and JPL engineers, Astrolab is dedicated to providing adaptive mobility solutions essential to life beyond Earth.

The team has leading experience in terrestrial and planetary robotics, electric vehicles, human spaceflight and more. Astrolab’s extensive experience and strategic partnerships with a wide range of world-class institutions, including the electric vehicle pioneer Venturi Group, allow for the most reliable, flexible and cost-effective lunar and Mars mobility offerings. The company’s headquarters are located in Hawthorne, California.