European Space Agency announces first lunar rover mission for 2029

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced plans to launch its first-ever lunar rover, named MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration), scheduled for 2029. The mission aims to detect and measure water and other volatiles at the Moon’s South Pole, as well as investigate subsurface geology.

Developed and operated by the Japanese-rooted company ispace, the rover will likely be a small vehicle equipped with a drill, volatile analyzer, ground-penetrating radar, and a neutron detector. The mission will launch aboard ispace’s fourth lunar lander mission, with support from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

This initiative marks a shift for the ESA as it begins to adopt more cost-effective models by partnering with private companies, similar to the approach taken by NASA in its Artemis program. The success of MAGPIE is seen as a way for Europe to demonstrate its capabilities in the growing commercial space marketplace.