The Exploration Company plans to conduct a flight test of its lunar hopper demonstrator, named ONEIROS, in the United Arab Emirates in 2027. The project, which began earlier this year, aims to validate technologies for cost-effective lunar surface access, including autonomous navigation and hazard-avoidance systems.
The one-tonne demonstrator will feature a throttleable methane-fuelled rocket engine. The company has already developed several breadboards to mitigate technical risks. The testing site is designated as the UAE desert, following a memorandum of understanding signed with the national space agency of the United Arab Emirates.
Following the ONEIROS mission, the company intends to develop Hilal, a demonstrator for precision landing and methane-oxygen propulsion. These efforts serve as precursors to the full-scale Nyx Moon lander. The company is also participating in a European Space Agency study for a deployable lunar shelter.
