QUT guides Roo-ver toward the Moon
QUT is helping Australia make history with Roo-ver, the nation’s first lunar rover
What’s happening?
Australia is building its first lunar rover, and QUT is leading the charge to make sure it can safely find its way on the Moon. QUT researchers are leading the development of navigation systems for Australia’s first lunar rover to ensure it stays on course when it lands on the Moon around the end of this decade.
Affectionately nicknamed Roo-ver, the rover is being developed as part of the national ELO2 consortium, which unites industry partners, research organisations, 10 universities and the Australian Space Agency.
The rover will be designed, built, tested, and operated entirely in Australia before heading to the lunar surface at the end of this decade. Once launched, Roo-ver will be remotely operated from an Australian mission control centre, working alongside NASA to help establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
Why it matters
For QUT researchers, this project is a chance to showcase Australian expertise in robotics, automation and science on the world stage.
“Yandiwanba allows us to recreate the challenges of lunar exploration here on Earth, so we can trial and refine the systems that will eventually guide Roo-ver on the Moon,” said Associate Professor Thierry Peynot, who leads the project from QUT’s Centre for Robotics.
Professor Michael Milford, Director of the Centre, added: “QUT’s world-class robotics expertise, especially in robotic vision and navigation technologies, is a key capability we bring to the challenge of navigating on the Moon. There are no GPS satellites, the terrain is harsh and computing resources are limited.”
ELO2 and Roo-ver Mission Director Ben Sorensen said it was a privilege to have QUT onboard. “Navigating the terrain of the lunar surface – 384,000 kilometres away – is an incredibly complex task, and the work Professor Peynot and his team are undertaking will be vital to the Mission’s success.”
Local impact
The work is centred in Brisbane, at QUT’s newly launched Yandiwanba facility – the largest covered testing environment in Australia for field robotics and equipment under lunar conditions.
Yandiwanba, a Yugara word meaning “to go from the ground to a higher place,” features a 19m x 11.4m test bed filled with lunar regolith simulant. Here, QUT engineers are using the lander as a landmark to guide the rover and testing visual object detection to identify rocks, craters and other features of interest.
By the numbers
The Australian Government has committed $42 million through the Space Agency to this phase of the mission.
Roo-ver will travel 384,000 kilometres from Earth to the Moon to complete its mission.
Yandiwanba’s lunar test bed spans 19 metres by 11.4 metres, filled with regolith simulant.
Ten universities across the nation are working within the ELO2 consortium.
Zoom in
The QUT team includes Associate Professor Peynot, Professor Milford, Professor Niko Suenderhauf, Dr Dimity Miller, and Associate Professor David Flannery.
Together, they are advancing technologies that can work in places too harsh for humans. Their research connects closely with projects in Antarctica, where QUT teams operate drones and submersible robots for the Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future initiative.
Zoom out
This lunar mission represents a milestone in Australia’s growing role in global space exploration. By combining robotics, engineering, science, and advanced manufacturing, Australia is building the skills and technologies needed for the future of space travel. It also strengthens the nation’s partnership with NASA in preparing for long-term human life on the Moon.
What to look for next
The mission will progress through the decade before Roo-ver’s launch. QUT is currently presenting its work at the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), which is taking place in Sydney from 29 September to 3 October.