Tag Archives: space exploration

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.

Art

Moon Landing Included Lunaprise Museum First Beyond Earth

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New York City – February, 2024 – In a historic moment that marks a significant milestone in the intersection of art, music, and space exploration, the Lunaprise Museum proudly announced the successful lunar landing of artworks as part of SpaceBlue’s’ curated and managed archive on the recent Lunar Lander as part of the historic space mission. Though not the first art project to involve the Moon (reported here by us July 2019), it is the first art project to remain on the Moon.

Among the historic pioneers is a pioneering trio: designer/artist Kelly Max, artist Samy Halim, and music producer/artist Brayden Pierce. This momentous event sees these creative visionaries become among the first artists in history to archive their works in the form of digital twins on the moon for over a billion years in a nano fiche disk, establishing a lasting legacy that transcends the boundaries of Earth.

A New Horizon for Art and Music

With the successful landing of the Lunar Lander on February 22, 2024 at 6:23PM EST the Lunar Landing has achieved a groundbreaking feat by hosting the first museum on the moon called Lunaprise. Among its prized collections are the collaborative efforts of Kelly Max and Samy Halim on the Modernist Art project, and Brayden Pierce’s musical compositions that have resonated with themes of space exploration and innovation.

The Modernist Art collection, highlighted by the “MoonRider” piece carrying 180 names pivotal to the artists’ journey, alongside a comprehensive collection of 420 Modernist Originals and 9,724 generative Modernist Genesis Artworks, represents a significant contribution to this lunar museum. Selected by Curator SpaceBlue and launched on February 15, 2024, these artworks not only celebrate the creative spirit but also symbolize human achievement and aspiration.

This nickel disc containing compressed files of the artwork is now curated on the Moon.

Kelly Max’s contributions to the Lunaprise Museum mission extend far beyond his collaboration with Samy Halim on the Modernist Art project. Together, Kelly and Samy designed the Lunaprise Mission Patch, a symbol of human creativity and resilience in the face of the vast unknown. Kelly’s visionary approach didn’t stop there; his role expanded as he became the lead designer for all key brand communications for the mission, showcasing his leadership and creative expertise in shaping the mission’s identity.

Brayden Pierce: Echoing Through Space

Introduced to the Lunaprise Museum mission by Kelly, Brayden Pierce’s artistic contributions have carved a unique niche in the halls of space history. As the first-ever EDM artist to have his music on the moon, Brayden Pierce’s “Capture The Moon” is immortalized on the moon in two versions: The Modernist Edition and the MOOON.PARTY Mix. This collaboration with Kelly underscores a synergy between the two creatives which exploded into the founding of MOOON.PARTY: a visionary venture that aims to blend art, music, space, and space content recording into a pioneering festival brand. This initiative, co-founded by Kelly and Brayden, is set to redefine immersive entertainment experiences, leveraging the backdrop of space to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide.

“Bringing art and music to the lunar surface goes beyond exploration; it signifies embedding humanity’s creative essence into the fabric of the cosmos. This endeavor isn’t merely a step forward for us as individual artists but represents a monumental leap for global art and culture. Collaborating with Samy, Brayden, and the Lunaprise Museum on this mission has unfolded as a profound journey of discovery, unity, and limitless creativity. Together, we’ve ignited a beacon of human expression on the moon, casting light across the cosmos to inspire future generations to dream beyond the confines of our known world. This project mirrors the moon’s impartial gaze upon Earth, reminding us that in its light, we are all seen equally. Our ultimate aim is to embody this universal perspective, fostering a tangible sense of unity on Earth, now enriched by the presence of art and music in the lunar realm.” adds Kelly Max.

Legacy Beyond the Stars

The Lunaprise Museum landing not only signifies the establishment of the first museum beyond Earth but also serves as a beacon of human creativity and ingenuity. Lunaprise is leading a historic disruption in space tech, leveraging patented technologies to archive and authenticate digital assets using blockchain, heralding the convergence of space exploration and digital technology. Collectors of music and art will delight in rare, verified assets that are one-of-a-kind, linked to identical twin digital files stored in the Lunaprise museum on the moon.  The artworks of Kelly Max, Samy Halim and Brayden Pierce, now permanently archived on the lunar surface, stand as a testament to the boundless potential of artistic expression. Their achievements herald a new era where art and music extend their reach into the cosmos, inspiring future generations to dream big and reach beyond the known limits.

For The Silo, Gabriela Gutiérrez.