NASA unveils the Chariot "lunar truck"

NASA sure loves the wacky vehicles, and the agency is mighty proud of its latest effort, the Chariot lunar truck. Designed from start to finish in just a year, the Chariot features 12 wheels driven by two electric motors through a two-speed transmission, allowing it to perform in a "bulldozer" mode with up to 4000 pounds of force or cruise at up to fifteen miles an hour. The modular design also means that the steel alloy frame can be fitted with several different crew / payload combinations, including a small pressurized cabin and a sample collector. There's no telling when the Chariot might be deployed, of course, but we're not going to be convinced until we see it stop a plane or drive through a swinging girder obstacle course.

[Thanks, xenocide]

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Oct 30th 2007 7:47PM]

Looks like Top Gear plans on Killing off the "White Stig" during a one way lunar launch some time in the near future. Coming soon the Pink Stig...

[daaper @ Oct 31st 2007 8:14AM]

oh, how I wish they still aired that over here. By far, one of my favorite shows...

That looks like a nice piece of machinery they've got there.

[Reginald @ Oct 30th 2007 8:03PM]

Moon Patrol FTW!

[hp540 @ Oct 30th 2007 8:04PM]

This will be perfect for when we have a permanent colony on the moon and the need arises to dig out that monolith...

[Brad @ Oct 31st 2007 8:34AM]

NASA is certainly working on it by developing mining equipment for the moon... and by NASA, I mean NASA subcontractors. And by NASA subcontractors, I mean me (and a few other groups).

Never fear. Terraforming the Moon and Mars is something to which NASA has given a lot of thought.

[Jarrah @ Oct 31st 2007 10:52PM]

Any Modulated Deep Core Strip Miner II's?

[Alex Padilla @ Oct 30th 2007 8:16PM]

how can they create a lunar vehicle if we've never been there?

^^^ lol at conspiracy theories ^^^

[mike10010100 @ Oct 30th 2007 8:32PM]

"...4000 pounds or force or cruise..."

I believe that it should be "4000 pounds of force or cruise..."

GRAMMAR NERD, AWAY!!!!!!!
WOOSH!!
*runs off screen*

[Samurai Jack @ Oct 30th 2007 8:34PM]

Come on! Anyone who's ever seen "Lost in Space" (the TV show, not the movie) knows that ain't no Chariot. It needs to be bigger, silver, and have lots and lots of glass. Not to mention a laser cannon mounted on top.

[Sporkinum @ Oct 30th 2007 10:55PM]

Danger Danger Will Robinson! Samurai Jack nailed it.

[LJKelley @ Oct 30th 2007 8:52PM]

How long until it breaks down? The way NASA is going I'll give it 3 months...

[Frodo @ Oct 30th 2007 9:33PM]

Oh, like those two rovers on Mars that had a designed mission life of 90 days? Still running at 1330 days? 3 and a half years longer than expected?

Sure...three months.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 30th 2007 10:04PM]

Pioneer 10 is STILL operational, as are many MANY other NASA probes.

Jackass.

[Mat @ Oct 30th 2007 11:24PM]

I know i am late to the flame fest over your stupid comment, but come on...you cant base NASA successes on the shuttle program. Please tell me you know that...

[LJKelley @ Oct 31st 2007 2:14AM]

Cool it down folks... I wasn't serious. I just had to say it based on the tear earlier today.

But on that note... I hope NASA is learning because the last think I would want is for some base on the Moon to spring an air leak...

Comparative to the ESA and other space programs NASA is miles ahead (no pun intended).

[paul34 @ Oct 30th 2007 9:25PM]

What? Oh, I thought Chevy started expanding the Suburban for moon duties, too.

I seriously hope NASA plans to up the horsepower and room, and definitely needs bigger wheels, too. Oh, and some logos of the soccer team of the kids whose mom will be driving it.

You won't need side mirrors, or even side windows, since those aren't really ever used anyway. Might as take out those turn signals too... useless anyway.It's obvious its not necessary to pay attention to others around you, especially since you are driving a large vehicle. It's as cool as weighing 500 pounds and eating a #2 from Sonic's.

[Ken @ Oct 30th 2007 9:52PM]

Spinners.

[Rjay @ Oct 30th 2007 9:50PM]

YESS! Now we can explore the rest of the moons monotonous landscape.

[yenraf @ Oct 30th 2007 10:03PM]

Personally, I never consider any vehicle that can't reach escape velocity... backwards... with leather seating... yup, thats about it...

[Mikey @ Oct 30th 2007 10:43PM]

We still have 3 vehicles up there...

I wonder if they still work? They only had a top speed of 8 mph, but I'm sure that with today's advancements in batteries it would be fairly easy (and relatively low weight)to bring a battery up for it. Of course, finding them would be like finding a needle in a haystack. I think it would be fun to try...

[Desert Plah @ Oct 31st 2007 12:19AM]

Eh, I dunno. All you would need is the lunar latitude and longitude of those particular missions. That's a great point though, we could save money by using those. Build ourselves an orphanage with the money saved. =D

[Jake @ Oct 31st 2007 5:21AM]

Are you talking about locating, and re-powering the 3 Lunar Rovers of the early 70's, deployed by Apollos 15, 16, 17? The vehicles were designed by GM (IIRC). I imagine you could start one or more back up by getting a fresh battery to them, but there's no telling what spending nearly 40 years on the moon might have done to them.

[paul34 @ Oct 30th 2007 11:09PM]

Fast and the Furious 4: Moon Drift ?

[Robert @ Oct 31st 2007 12:37AM]

Ben Hur II

[Wolfticket @ Oct 31st 2007 7:11AM]

The actual moon version probably wouldn't be made of steel.

[TotalForge @ Nov 1st 2007 7:30PM]

Of course we know where the Apollo rovers are. They are exactly where the astronauts parked them. If not, that would be... interesting. The only problem I have with eventually seeing how they held up is the idea of disturbing such historic sites - sites that never forget a footprint.

[rufos_adventure @ Nov 1st 2007 9:56PM]

from a society that defined transportation, this is the best nasa can come up with? doesn't nasa understand the KISS principle?

[Brian Mc @ Nov 13th 2007 9:36PM]

It looks like it has pneumatic tires?? Is this true or are those tires solid, if not they're gonna have a problem with tires blowing up!