Venturi Space unveils its lunar rover

While Europe actively prepares its return to the Moon, Venturi Space today presented MONA LUNA, a 100% European lunar rover.

This innovative vehicle, designed by Venturi and named by Sacha Lakic, is developed to meet the needs of ESA and CNES. It will be assembled in Toulouse, at the Venturi Space France facilities, with a clear goal: an operational deployment in the lunar South Pole before 2030.

Designed to embody European technological independence, MONA LUNA is part of a strategy for industrial autonomy in the face of major space powers. The rover will be equipped to survive the harsh lunar nights, navigate autonomously, and transport scientific payloads, even a stranded astronaut in case of emergency.

A Venturi Rover to Reach for the Moon?

The project management is entrusted to Venturi Space France, which will oversee all critical stages, from avionics to final assembly, including space qualification tests. MONA LUNA will be designed to be transported by Ariane 6.4, and then placed on the Moon using the European lander Argonaut. It will include a robotic arm, three high-performance batteries, and can reach a speed of 20 km/h with a weight of about 750 kg.

This ambitious project already has the support of ESA, which backs the development of critical technologies needed for a new generation rover. Venturi also draws on experience gained with the FLIP and FLEX rovers, developed in partnership with its American partner Astrolab.

Since the acquisition of Venturi by Gildo Pastor in 2000, the Monegasque company has reinvented itself, transitioning from a niche car manufacturer to a pioneer in extreme electromobility, both on Earth and in space. It holds several world records and is involved in projects ranging from Antarctica to the Moon.

While MONA LUNA primarily targets institutional scientific missions, Venturi also has broader commercial ambitions, targeting the private sector for transportation activities, lunar mining operations, or promotional missions.

“Space is the new frontier,” declares Gildo Pastor, president of Venturi Space. “MONA LUNA is our contribution to an autonomous European lunar capability, serving the challenges of tomorrow.”

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