CubeRover SARL (CubeRover) and Luxembourg announce today the agreement for the development of next-generation planetary rovers in Luxembourg.
This historic agreement marks the establishment of CubeRover’s operations in the Grand Duchy as a spin out organization from Astrobotic Technology, Inc. (Astrobotic), a space robotics company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Astrobotic developed the CubeRover platform in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University under a NASA technology development contract at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The platform was developed to create low-cost, mobile robotic lunar access for companies, governments, universities and non-profits across the world.
The new headquarters in Luxembourg will be a hub for planetary rover design, manufacture, and assembly, as well as a one-stop shop for customers around the world to begin their planetary rover exploration programs.
“We are excited to launch CubeRover in the Grand Duchy and enable customers around the world to begin pursuing lunar science, exploration, and commerce with their own low-cost rovers. The Ministry of the Economy and the newly established Luxembourg Space Agency have been terrific partners and great believers in CubeRover’s vision of opening access to the lunar surface,” says Mike Provenzano, President of CubeRover.
The Luxembourg office will develop small, medium, and large-sized CubeRovers to support government agencies, companies, and universities throughout the world. Each CubeRover will be customized for specific science and exploration missions such as resource prospecting, in-situ resource utilization, geophysical investigations, and much more. CubeRovers are now available for purchase as terrestrial testing kits and will soon be available as standalone vehicles for lunar missions.
“There is no precedent for a planetary rover and its associated flight to the Moon at this price point. The cost of a CubeRover is an order of magnitude less than a traditional planetary rover. The CubeRover is a great tool for governments around the world to engage with our solar system and promote STEM education for the next generation of leaders in our industry,” Provenzano says.
“The CubeRover is a perfect complement to Astrobotic’s lunar delivery service. As the market leader in commercial lunar activity, we developed CubeRover to respond to customer feedback for a low-cost mobile rover. We are thrilled to partner with the Luxembourg Ministry of the Economy to spin out the CubeRover platform as its own enterprise,” says John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic.
Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy Étienne Schneider stated: “The launch of CubeRover’s activities in the Grand-Duchy further widens the capabilities of our diversified space ecosystem and confirm that we are home to a vibrant and thriving space economy. Hence, CubeRover will be able to efficiently serve European and international customers from a place where we foster the development of business in space in pragmatic and progressive ways.”
The resources and relationships provided by the LuxImpulse initiative will provide CubeRover with the necessary support it needs to grow and flourish into a thriving organization.
“The Luxembourg community is buzzing with talent and creativity for innovative space technology. We are excited to continue forging relationships with universities and businesses in this environment as we chart our course to the Moon and beyond,” says Provenzano.
About CubeRover and Astrobotic
CubeRover is a manufacturer of planetary rovers for governments, companies, and universities. Its mission is to support the commercialization and democratization of access to planetary and lunar surfaces. Akin to CubeSats, CubeRovers use standardized commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, and are capable of capturing lunar and planetary data at a fraction of historical prices. Modularity and low product costs are why customers choose CubeRover as the premier robotic platform for their science applications. The CubeRover technology has been designed and engineered by Astrobotic in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, and NASA. CubeRover was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg.
Astrobotic Technology, Inc. is a space robotics company that seeks to make space accessible to the world. The company’s lunar lander, Peregrine, delivers payloads to the Moon for companies, governments, universities, non-profits, and individuals at an industry-defining price of $1.2 million per kilogram. The company is also developing advanced space robotics capabilities such as terrain relative navigation, mobile robotics for lunar surface operations, and reliable computing systems for mission-critical applications. Astrobotic has more than 30 prior and ongoing NASA and commercial technology contracts, a commercial partnership with Airbus DS, a corporate sponsorship with DHL, and 12 signed deals for Peregrine’s first mission to the Moon. The company is also an official partner with NASA through the Lunar CATALYST Program. Astrobotic was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.
