Japan's moon shot: Toyota and JAXA space agency plan to send rover on lunar mission

TOKYO - Toyota is teaming up with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency on a planned mission to the moon, with the auto giant expected to develop a lunar rover, officials and local media said Wednesday. It will be the car manufacturer's first full-fledged entry into space exploration, after the company jointly developed a small robot sent to the International Space Station. "We are planning to cooperate with Toyota in an exploration mission to the moon," said a spokesman with JAXA. Details will be announced by JAXA and Toyota on Tuesday next week when the space agency hosts a symposium in Tokyo, the spokesman said. Toyota also confirmed plans to announce a joint project with JAXA "on mobility and a space probe" but declined to comment further.