They are called CLV-1, CLV-2 and CLV-3, but you will never encounter the electric cars that are built in the south of France on the road. Car manufacturer Venturi, in the past builder of exclusive sports cars, is now focusing on extraterrestrial transport.
Through its subsidiary Venturi Space, the company is developing technology for future lunar rovers for manned missions to the moon. Venturi Space will supply the majority of the parts for the CLV-1. This is a new lunar rover that will transport astronauts and equipment across the moon’s surface for the first manned lunar landing mission since 1972.
The rover is being developed in collaboration with the American space company Astrolab, which has been selected by NASA as one of the candidates for future lunar missions within the Artemis program. The first of these should start next year. But the European Mona Luna moon rover will also soon be built by Venturi.
Venturi VBB-3: top speed of 567 kilometers per hour
Built in the last century Venturi still exclusive sports cars and in 2013 it even set a world record with a rocket on wheels. This 3000 hp Venturi VBB-3 is officially the world’s fastest electric car. In 2016, the car reached a peak speed of 576 km/h during a record run at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US.
The technical challenges of the new lunar rover are great. For example, the battery system must function under extreme temperature conditions such as those prevailing around the moon’s poles. In addition, special wheels have been developed from a flexible material that should provide sufficient grip on both loose moon dust and rocky terrain.
Moon rover: 950 kilograms and a maximum speed of 10 km/h
In transport position, the CLV-1 measures approximately 2 meters in length, 2.3 meters in width and 2.2 meters in height. After arriving on the moon, the vehicle can be expanded to approximately 4 meters long and 2.6 meters high. Despite a maximum weight of 950 kilograms, the rover can reach a speed of up to 10 kilometers per hour.
The CLV-1 is the first of a series of lunar rovers. According to the plans, larger or modified variants will follow later under the names CLV-2, CLV-3 and further versions. In addition to its work for the American space sector, Venturi Space is also expanding its activities in Europe.
European lunar rover also comes from Venturi
During the Choose France investment program, the company announced that it would invest 250 million euros in a new production location in Toulouse. Batteries, energy management systems and other crucial components for lunar and Martian rovers are developed and produced on the 16,000 square meter site. In the past, Venturi has already built special electric cars, such as this one Astrolab.
The technology developed for NASA projects should also form the basis for Mona Luna, a European lunar rover for scientific missions. According to current planning, that vehicle will be deployed for the first time in 2030. This marks Venturi’s next step in its remarkable transformation from car manufacturer to player in the international space industry.
By our colleagues from AutoWeekan independent platform for car enthusiasts and buyers.
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