Every day, people around the world use thousands of products and services that have originated or advanced, through space research and technology. Canadian company Ontario Drive and Gear Ltd. (ODG), based in New Hamburg, Ontario, is an example of how space technology can find its way back to Earth, bringing innovative solutions to human challenges.
In 2008 the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) hired ODG to design and build lunar rover prototypes. Thanks to the expertise it had developed through this work, in 2013, the company designed and produced a fully amphibious terrestrial rover, the ARGO J5. This terrestrial rover is a direct spin-off of the lunar rover prototypes designed for the CSA (Juno, Artemis Sr and Artemis Jr).
The ARGO J5 rover was the first in a family of commercial robotic vehicles that are now being produced by the company. Early production models of the ARGO J5 are already in service in Canada, Europe, Asia and South America for various applications.
Two new rovers designed for space
In April 2016, ODG delivered two new rovers to the CSA. The Lunar Rover Drivetrain Prototype, which forms part of the Lunar Rover Platform and Drivetrain Prototype (LRPDP), was subjected to rigorous testing simulating the harsh conditions that exist on the Moon.
These tests have never been done on previous CSA rover prototypes, and the findings will help further mature Canada's rover technology to prepare for potential future exploration missions.
The second rover, the Small Planetary Rover Platform (SPRP), completes the CSA's fleet and is compatible with smaller payloads and sensitive instruments requiring protection from environmental exposure.
