Rover and first Japanese astronaut on Moon: US, Japan announce historic space collaboration

During Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s official visit to Washington, the US and Japan announced joint agreements on a plethora of similar interests, including defence and tech, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors and space exploration.

Within the space realm, one of the biggest announcements that came from the White House on Wednesday was the collaboration of Japan and the US on future moon missions, with one Japanese astronaut being part of the Artemis mission to become the first non-American to land on the Moon.

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During a meeting between the two state leaders, Biden said, “Those ties stretch up to the Moon, where two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, and one will become the first non-American ever to land on the moon.”

NASA administrator Bill Nelson and Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Masahito Moriyama signed an agreement on April 9 to advance sustainable human exploration of the Moon, among many other announcements.

Japanese rover to support astronauts on Moon

Japan will design, develop and operate a pressurised rover for crewed and uncrewed exploration on the Moon. The pressurised lunar rover enables astronauts to travel farther and work for longer periods on the lunar surface.

The lunar rover will be capable of conducting science in geographically diverse areas by serving as a mobile laboratory for the astronauts to live and work for extended periods. It will also be able to accommodate two astronauts for up to 30 days as they travel the areas near the lunar south pole.

Diplomacy is good for discovery, and discovery is good for diplomacy.

What better representation of the power of partnership than @NASA's new agreement with Japan.

Thanks to the new pressurized rover, we will explore the Moon like never before. pic.twitter.com/u1kNfN2yp0 — Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) April 10, 2024

NASA has expressed its desire to use the Japanese rover on Artemis VII and subsequent missions over an approximate 10-year lifespan.

Japanese astronaut on Moon and more

During a meeting between Biden and Kishida, they announced that a Japanese astronaut will join US counterparts on a future Artemis mission.

“A shared goal for a Japanese national to be the first non-American astronaut to land on the Moon on a future Artemis mission, assuming important benchmarks are achieved,” said Biden.

In addition to lunar surface exploration, the US will also engage with Japan for its future participation in NASA’s Dragonfly mission and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

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The two countries also intend to collaborate on JAXA’s Next-generation Solar-observing Satellite, SOLAR-C, which will investigate the mysteries of solar atmospheres by conducting observations of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

NASA is also planning to collaborate with JAXA under the Gateway Implementing Arrangement. As per the agreement signed in 2022, a Japanese astronaut will serve as a Gateway crew member on a future Artemis mission and Japan will provide Gateway’s environmental control and life support systems and cargo transportation.

(With inputs from agencies)