The Australian rover will collect lunar soil, known as regolith, and once recovered, Nasa will attempt to extract oxygen from the sample. This is considered to be a key step towards a sustainable human presence on the Moon and potential plans to build a permanent settlement. The oxygen could also be used to create rocket fuel for further exploration of the Moon or Mars.

The rover – as yet unnamed – will travel to the Moon as part of a future Artemis mission as early as 2026.

The Artemis missions aim to “land the first woman and first person of colour on the Moon”, explore the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for sending astronauts to Mars. It will see Nasa collaborating with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon.

According to the Australian Space Agency, the country was chosen to partner with Nasa on the rover due to its expertise in the field of robotics, remote operation and automation.

Australia...