Audi fans have something special to look forward to in the upcoming movie Alien: Covernant; the latest installment in the movie franchise. While the motion picture is set in a future far-far away, it does feature the Audi Lunar Quattro, a mission rover actually designed for the present and will be making its maiden trip to the moon later this year.
The Audi Lunar Quattro has been built for an actual moon mission
The Audi Lunar Quattro has been developed by the automaker in collaboration with a German space start-up - Part-Time Scientists. The development commenced in 2015 with the intent to be used as part of a mission to the moon. Interestingly though, before the Lunar Quattro embarks on its actual mission, it will be seen on celluloid taking joining the star cast of Alien: Covenant.
The Lunar Quattro weighs just 30 kg and is is powered by a lithium-ion battery
So what exactly is the Audi Lunar Quattro? Well, the moon rover quite literally is the Audi that can go anywhere. It features the company's four wheel drive 'Quattro' technology and is powered by an e-tron motor that is powered by a lithium-ion battery with a 100 watt solar power generator panel. It also comes with a steroscopic camera with object detection supporting pilot driving. Audi says the Lunar Quattro is made of 85 per cent aluminium and weighs just 30 kg. It was produced by a 3D metal printer at Audi's headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany.
The Audi Lunar Quattro is the first private venture for a mission to the moon
The Lunar Quattro's mission to the moon will be the first-of-its-kind private venture. It will also be the fourth rover in history to land on the moon after the Soviet Lunokhod 1 and 2 that were sent in the 1970s, while the Chinese Yutu rover was sent in 2013.
For fans of the Alien franchise, the movie directed by Ridley Scott and is a sequel to Prometheus that was released in 2012. In the film, the Lunar Quattro will help the crew of the ship Covenant navigate and assess the challenging, unknown terrain of a new planet.
