Venturi Space has increased its planned investment in a new manufacturing and technology facility in Toulouse, France, to €250 million, up from the €100 million originally announced earlier this year.
The Monaco-based space technology company said the expanded investment will support the development and production of technologies for lunar and Martian mobility systems, including rover assembly operations.
Investment Plan Expanded
Venturi Space originally announced plans in January 2026 to build a 10,000-square-metre facility in Toulouse, with a later expansion to 16,000 square metres.
The company has now decided to proceed directly with the larger development, creating a full-scale technology center from the outset.
According to Venturi Space, the facility will focus on the design and manufacture of critical technologies for lunar and Martian exploration, alongside the assembly of rover systems developed by the company.
Job Creation and Industrial Expansion
The project is expected to create nearly 200 jobs as Venturi Space expands its industrial capabilities in Europe.
“I have always believed that mobility would be one of the keys to space exploration. Today, the momentum is there,” said Gildo Pastor, chairman of Venturi Space.
“With this €250 million investment and the creation of nearly 200 jobs, Venturi Space is taking a decisive step forward. We have the technologies, the experience, the partners and, soon, the industrial tool to go further.”
Supporting Lunar Exploration Programs
Venturi Space develops technologies including wheels, batteries and battery management systems for planetary exploration vehicles.
The company supplies these technologies to US-based Venturi Astrolab, which was recently selected by NASA as one of two companies tasked with developing lunar rovers for the Artemis program.
The rovers are intended to transport astronauts on the Moon’s surface and operate autonomously between crewed missions.
Although Venturi Space and Venturi Astrolab share similar branding, the companies operate independently, with their relationship based on a strategic partnership established in 2022.
Under the partnership, Venturi Space provides expertise in battery technology, mobility systems and related engineering solutions, while Venturi Astrolab incorporates some of those technologies into its rover platforms.
European Lunar Rover Development
Beyond its involvement in NASA-related projects, Venturi Space is also participating in European lunar exploration initiatives.
In 2025, the company unveiled MONA LUNA, a lunar rover designed to support future missions involving the European Space Agency (ESA) and France’s CNES space agency.
Venturi Space has stated its ambition to deploy the rover to the lunar south pole by 2030.
Earlier this year, ESA awarded the company a contract to conduct a risk-reduction study focused on key technologies including mobility systems, power supply solutions and thermal regulation for future lunar rover applications.
The expanded Toulouse facility is expected to play a central role in supporting those long-term development activities as Europe and international partners increase investments in lunar exploration programs.
