Ritsumeikan and JAXA conclude partnership agreement： Will work together on the research and development of a crewed pressurized rover for the ARTEMIS mission and the study and promotion of lunar exploration
On March 27, 2025, the Ritsumeikan Trust and the Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) concluded a partnership agreement on the research and development of a crewed pressurized rover and the study and promotion of lunar exploration. Based on this agreement, the two parties will aim to jointly improve the exploration performance of the crewed pressurized rover and cooperate to open up new possibilities for lunar exploration.
Last April, the governments of Japan and the United States signed the “Implementing Arrangement between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States of America concerning Lunar Surface Exploration using the Pressurized Rover.” Under this arrangement, Japan is responsible for providing and operating a crewed pressurized rover, and JAXA handling the research and development of the rover. The crewed pressurized rover is the world's first and only lunar rover system that will enable habitation and travel without a space suit, and it is expected to greatly expand the scope of human activities in future lunar exploration.
Under this agreement, Ritsumeikan will contribute to improving the exploration performance of JAXA's crewed pressurized rover by leveraging its knowledge of the geological properties of the lunar surface and terramechanics (i.e., the interactive dynamics between soil and wheels) in low gravity environments. Ritsumeikan will also contribute to improving the exploration performance of the crewed pressurized rover by utilizing its development and operational knowledge of observation equipment such as the multiband spectrometer. Meanwhile, JAXA will provide Ritsumeikan with technical information and data necessary for its research activities to jointly improve exploration performance. The two parties will deepen their cooperation to realize lunar exploration and contribute not only to technological development but also to the dissemination of research activities related to lunar exploration.
This agreement will serve as a springboard to promote new technological innovations in lunar exploration and other space activities, and both parties will work to ensure that their cooperation will lead to the resolution of technological issues related to lunar exploration and other space missions.
Comment from Dr. Kazuto Saiki, Director of the Ritsumeikan University Earth & Space Exploration Center (ESEC)
The pressurized rover is a multifunctional and flexible system that not only serves as a means of transportation, but also as a habitat for astronauts, and it can even be used as an uncrewed rover when astronauts are not present. Various technological innovations are essential for the development and operation of this system, and these technologies will be established as international standards for space systems, which will be essential for the future exploration of the Moon and Mars and base construction. The opportunity for us to contribute to this important project is both a source of great pride and a challenging mission. ESEC will do its utmost to contribute by taking advantage of its collective strengths that transcend the boundaries of science and engineering.
Comment from Dr. Taizo Kobayashi, Deputy Director of ESEC
We are honored to contribute to the advancement of lunar exploration and lunar surface development by way of this collaboration with the JAXA Pressurized Rover Engineering Center. Unlike ordinary vehicles that travel on well-maintained roads, pressurized rovers that travel on unpaved, uneven terrain must have high operating performance to avoid getting stuck and reliably travel even on soft, sandy ground. ESEC will contribute to the design and operation of the pressurized rover by leveraging its collective strengths, including the knowledge it has accumulated on lunar geotechnical engineering and terramechanics.
Comment from Fumiya Tsutsui, Director of the JAXA Pressurized Rover Engineering Center (PREC)
The crewed pressurized rover will be the world's first mobile lunar habitat infrastructure and Japan's first stand-alone crewed spacecraft. I believe that the technical hurdles to development will be very high but I am encouraged to enter into a relationship with everyone at the Ritsumeikan University Earth & Space Exploration Center who can provide us with a great deal of technical knowledge and advice. I also look forward to the opportunities that this partnership will provide to share the outcomes of our development work and the knowledge and experience we gain with many more people who aspire to become involved in future crewed space missions.
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