Toyota ventures into space exploration with plans to build rockets
- Toyota invests $44 million in Interstellar Technologies
- The company aims to improve rocket production
- The plans includes supporting Japan’s goal of 30 rocket launches by 2030.
Published on Jan 08, 2025 at 4:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Daksh Chaudhary
Last updated on Jan 08, 2025 at 4:08 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Toyota is stepping into space exploration by teaming up with Interstellar Technologies to build rockets.
The Japanese automaker has invested $44 million in the start-up, which focuses on creating lightweight, cost-effective rockets.
One thing’s clear – the brand has big plans for space exploration, making it a new competitor in the global space race.
The company wants to use its expertise in manufacturing to take rocket production to the next level.
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Toyota enters the space industry to make rockets
This exciting news was shared at CES 2025, where Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda spoke about the company’s vision that goes beyond Earth.
Toyoda highlighted that the company sees space as a natural extension of its innovation in transportation.
“And speaking of the sky, we’re exploring rockets, too. Because the future of mobility shouldn’t be limited to just Earth, or just one car company,” he said.
He even hinted at competing with SpaceX, the company led by Elon Musk.
That said, it isn’t going to be easy – SpaceX has some significant achievements up its sleeves; for instance, Starship recently completed its first full test flight.
Interstellar Technologies has big plans to help Japan increase its rocket launches.
The country had only three successful launches in 2023 but plans to reach 30 launches per year by 2030, and Toyota’s investment will be a major push in reaching that mark.
Not their first time though
Toyota has been fascinated by space for a long time. In fact, they previously worked with Japan’s space agency JAXA back in 2019.
Back then, they helped build a lunar rover for NASA’s Artemis program, allowing astronauts to explore the Moon without spacesuits. Impressive, right?
Not many know but Toyota even stepped into the jewelry business in a quirky way, melting down parts of its cars to turn into designer jewelry.
By stepping into the space industry Toyota is showing that the brand is not just about the cars anymore. And given their expertise, they’re going to make a big difference in the space industry.
