The European lunar rover Mona Luna has completed a key test campaign at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Luna centre in Cologne, Germany, demonstrating its capability for use on the Moon’s surface.
First revealed at the Paris Air Show in July, Mona Luna weighs 750kg (1650lbs) and is extendable up to 1,000kg (2200lbs). The European rover will serve two primary objectives: to explore the lunar surface and to test critical technologies for sustainable lunar mobility.
The rover is being developed by Venturia Space for the ESA in France, Switzerland, Monaco and Germany.
The first test campaign showed Luna Rover’s capability to travel across loose soil, slopes, and obstacles. The rover features 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 following aspects of the rover:
- 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
- The dynamic stability on slopes meets programme requirements
- The onboard electronic systems work
Mona Luna is designed to support the ambitions of the ESA and France’s Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES) and already incorporates technologies that will operate on the Moon next summer on board another rover called FLIP. This vehicle will be equipped with the same hyper‑deformable wheels, batteries, heating systems and temperature sensors as the European rover.
FLIP is being 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.
In parallel with the Mona Luna development programme, Venturi Space plans to start building its flagship facility next spring: a site of more than 10,000m² in Toulouse, France, close to CNES.
In the first half of 2028 at the Toulouse site 150 engineers will work on the design and manufacturing of Mona Luna, in partnership 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.
Dr Antonio Delfino, director of space affairs at Venturi Space said, “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.”
Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic exploration at the ESA said, “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 is remarkable. If Mona Luna were to be selected for one of our missions, it would be a tremendous opportunity for Europe.”
