Italian Space Agency rover ETNA completes tests on Mount Etna

The Italian Space Agency (ASI) has finished an experimental campaign of the rover ETNA (Exploration Technology for Navigation & Autonomy) on the lava‑covered slopes of Mount Etna. The tests were carried out to validate autonomous navigation, locomotion and instrument‑management technologies intended for future lunar surface missions, particularly operations at the Moon’s south pole.

The program, called Universal Locomotion System (ULS), is part of Italy’s national roadmap for robotics and artificial intelligence. Thales Alenia Space Italia leads the industrial consortium, joined by Leonardo, ALTEC, AIKO, Volta Structural Energy, the Politecnico di Torino and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. During the trials the rover tackled uneven, loose terrain and steep inclines, demonstrating the ability to inspect, transport payloads and support astronauts without direct ground control.

Roberto Formaro, Director of Engineering and Technologies at ASI, said the results confirm Italy’s commitment to developing strategic space‑exploration technologies. Roberto Angelini, Head of Exploration and Science at Thales Alenia Space, highlighted the collaboration’s role in strengthening Italy’s planetary‑exploration capabilities.