We've all seen black and white footage of astronauts on the moon hot doggin' it over craters and dunes in a trick electric buggy, but that was over thirty years ago. In 2020, when a new generation of astronauts head there, they'll need a new generation of whip too, and that's just what NASA recently demonstrated to the public. Called the Small Pressurized Rover Concept, it looks to be an evolution of the 12-wheeled
Chariot prototype we saw earlier this year, pimped out with an air-tight cabin that sleeps two and some bitchin' gold dubs. Inside a pair of explorers can go lunar RVing for up to two weeks at a time, covering 625 miles on one charge at a leisurely 6 mph, hopping out through rear-mounted (
non-next-gen) spacesuits when something interesting catches their eye. You know, like aliens or something. Could happen.
[Thanks, Peter D.]
posted Oct 26th 2008 7:07PM
I still haven't figured out why it's going to take 11 years to do something that we were capable of doing 40 years ago.
The de-evolution of mankind.
Because.... they need to build a new spaceship, train astronauts, and then blast them to outerspace :)
I wanna see "them" build a space shuttle that can fly all the way to the moon, stay in orbit, drop a lunar lander with a built in rover - then, have the rover roll back into the lander and rocket back into orbit to be picked up by the Space shuttle for the return trip to the earth.
Something like the Cheyenne Dropship.
And before anyone says I'm dreaming or "it can't happen" just remember.
WHATEVER THE GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR...IT GETS.
Money is the reason.
It's not a knowledge gap, it's a financing gap. We already know how to build roads, but they still cost money right? We can spend a few tens of billion and get to the moon like in the 1950s and 60's during the height of the cold war. But how is that going to work out politically? I'd like to see one of the presidential candidates announce it "we're going to fix social security, the economy, healthcare, take care of national security while ensuring civil liberties, and oh yeah we're going to spend $100 billion over the next 2 years to get to the moon"
NASA's budget was 0.5% of the GDP in 1966. Today, that would mean $65 billion.
If it were up to me, that funding would be allowed, and also NIH would get $120 billion. Spending just over than 1% of GDP on NASA and NIH is well worth it.
"The de-evolution of mankind."
We must repeat.
Exactly.. we landed on the moon as they say years years ago, and it will take them until 2020 to go again as they say.
Yet when they landed on the moon back then, they had 10% of the technology we have now, YETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
they have to prepare and make new crap to get there again?
It just doesn't make sense.. they went there with some crapp ass rocket back in the 60's as they state, yet they need what now?
Come on, some shit they say just doesn't make sense whatsoever, IF they truly went to the moon in the 60's they could go there anytime they want. Instead of spending countless money just to go around the earths orbit they could of went to the MOON in the 90's and early 2000's yet " THEY need to prepare and fix equipment "
b.s
I think it's possibly because you are no longer in race with Russia and you don't have your politicians pushing things down to NASA's throat.
It does surprise me that it hasn't been part of some crazily funded DoD scheme. Tell Bush that Bin Laden's hiding in the sea of tranquillity and we'd be there in a week.
We want to do it better, and use it as a learning experience for a Mars landing.
So think of it less like "going to the moon" and more like a test drive.
I don't care how many laps you put in that puppy, you send them to Mars and they ain't comin' back.
the best thing about the cold war was the non-war competition, chess, olympics, space race, etc
if the soviet space program stayed strong, and korolov lived to send then to the moon, we could have seen great things by now
mars in the 80s, cheap space flights, robots on like every planet
Christopher Columbus - 1492
Jamestown - 1607
Getting there isn't the problem. Staying there is. And trying to accomplish the "staying" part on barely adequate funding is hard.
wow...really now all this when you just use a wheelbarrow
If you take a quick glance at just the white parts of the picture it looks like an elephant.
No. It looks like a sad elephant. :(
omg! I looked at it and i DID think it was an elephant. Good thing I did a search on comments first since I knew somebody would think the same way :)
I thought the exact same thing. I thought that it was like a joke ... "Oh, the Nasa Elephant Car."
ha! yeah, first thing I saw: an elephant with 2 trunks!?!?!?
Yes, moon elephants have 2 trunks and eat cheese.
If you take a quick look at just the white parts of the picture it looks like an elephant.
... *insert comment system rant type thing*
Ahh, you beat me to it :)
An elephant with sad eyes and four trunks.
Mr. Snuffleupagus, in a pressure suit.
Nu Nu, from the Teletubbies.
Looks like Cthulhu on a skateboard.
Caption Contest:
"Houston can't see us, over"
Saturn cars cost 20k, and are actually useful, why not use them?
Wow, why didn't NASA think of that? Wait... Internal combustion engines don't work in space-- no oxygen. Plus, rubber tires would crack or melt on the surface of the moon, since the temperature varies wildly in extremes of hot and cold.
You just kind of have to realize that these guys have some vague idea of what they're doing.
>some vague idea of what they're doing
no they dont !
With all the time and money they have had, they could have produced something that works, or even looks like it works. This image tells me that they have absolutely no clue wtf they are doing and they will never leave orbit with that pile of crap , let alone get to crash it on the surface of our moon.
Are you judging based on aesthetics, or functionality? I'd say the less aesthetics the better-- /that's/ a waste of money.
surely they could make it more aerodyn... oh, wait...
They forgot to mention the price tag which will probably run in the millions like all their other equipment.
Its a portable toilet. Those two guys are trying to hold it in while waiting in line.
"Houston we have a problem. the toilet backed up."
UMMMM why is nasa driving around when they can be FLYING around....?
Flying in what, rocket packs? I think that would end up costing more money, especially in fuel. And if you mean planes or gliders, well... there's no air on the moon.
Am I the only one that thought the picture looked like Zoidberg?
what's with the broken ankle on astronaut #1?
I don't think aliens will be impressed by our technology...
perhaps we should show them the iPhone...
Umm... not that this is the only thing wrong with your statement, but if the iPhone does not, as you imply, fall in to the category of 'our technology' then whose technology is it?
Let me guess, its far superior to anything ever crafted by mere mortals and it is so superior to all else that homo sapiens have crafted that to simply gaze upon it is enough to make the hardest of men weep, fall to their knees and pay homage to the indescribable awe that encapsulates their souls when they gaze upon its majesty?
That what you mean?
What am I doing, I need to go to bed. Goodnight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FFkvhoEfX8
Does anyone else think this looks utterly hilarious?
Its been what.. 40 years, and that's the best looking rover they could come up with... no wonder they don't get funding, pathetic...
that's the same site were the original "moon landing" was filmed
Yup, you can recognize the Moon-grass and sedimentary rock. Same exact place. :p
Helloooo McFly Think McFly Think!!!
you changed your nick to "Biff" just to reply to my comment? ....
hey it's been a while, they would have trimed the grass back then... duuuhhh
oh and Biff, don't forget, two coats of wax on my car... , thanks
I see everyone thoroughly looks at the picture without even reading the article. the two "Astronauts" on back are just suits they can use to get out and walk around if they need to.
i see you missed the sarcasm in all those posts
looks like Snuffleupagus for some reason
It looks like a solid flat platform. Those craters will have to be explored sometime next century.
Does this mean they'll have to go around every bump on the surface at 6mph? At least an accident won't be too bad.
Would airbags work on the moon?
All six sets of 2 wheels have independent active suspension with (IIRC) 28 inches of travel. In other words, it can travel directly over a 2-foot boulder and the astronauts would barely notice. Of course, the sensing equipment (yes, it does have radar and lidar) would optimally plan a route around such a boulder.
Throw some 24s on that hoop and you'd have sick ride! Just don't flip a switch, or you might put it in a low-altitude orbit.
we ridin spinnaz'
they don't stop.
You'd never get caught ridin' dirty in that whip.
They ghost riding the whip.
To all of you living in your mother's basement:
We are not "re-doing" Apollo. The next generation craft will carry more people and will be capable of doing much more science. The focal point of the Constellation missions is not to GET to the moon (Apollo) but to MAINTAIN a presence on the moon and, eventually, Mars. The big elephant (after reading about the elephant above, I had to include this. Gave me a chuckle) in the room is that little thing that makes rockets fly: Funding. NASA's current vision for space exploration is VERY ambitious and Congress is having "issues" funding it (maybe if a Democrat had proposed it...)
The bottom line is this is not Apollo. We are not going to visit the moon, we are going to colonize.
not if the Chinese get there first
um, if the suits are outside, and you're driving around on the moon which has no air and presumably sub zero temperatures, how do you get to the suits?
"um, if the suits are outside, and you're driving around on the moon which has no air and presumably sub zero temperatures, how do you get to the suits?"
They don't need to go outside to get in these.. they're new suits and can be entered from the cabine while they are mounted on the outside of the rover, eliminating the need to vent precious air when doing EVAs...
Pretty smart if you ask me
That thing's just so that the American astronauts can drive over to the by then long established Chinese moon base to get some Kung Pao chicken to go.
"We are not going to visit the moon, we are going to colonize."
not if the Chinese get there first you aint.
How far could we advance our scientific knowledge of the Earth and beyond if we had 850 billion dollars invested in education medicine research and development? Oh yeah, we'll never know, because people fucked up. I wish becoming a homeowner had required a math test, like, "Hmmm $12,000 annual salary and a $500,000 mortgage, sounds good!"
Oh, and there's no cash incentive to go to the moon or Mars, we're outsourcing that to China and India right now apparently.
Yes its not at all the fault of the bankers who told the people they could afford the mortgage just to get a nice commission check. *rolls eyes*
I'm pretty sure the responsibility falls on the lenders because who in their right mind would say "no bank, I do not want $500,000".
Yeah, unfortunately the stupid are costing us too much money right now.
Props to the guy who wrote up this article on Engadet. I laughed the whole way through it, very witty! Thanks for cheering up the day.
The easily accessible suits are for ghost-riding the whip
I'm all for this, but we should've done this at least 10 years ago. It's pathetic how we have barely taken circle of our own Moon when we should of Mars and other moons. How are we ever going to expand as a race without constantly exploring beyond the limits of Earth? NASA = epic fail right now.
It's Americas fault. We expect too much from NASA on a military standpoint that they can't fulfill their needs as a SPACE ADMINISTRATION.
I still can't figure out how astronauts are going to get into there spacesuits since, you know, there just kinda hanging out in space on the back of the rover.
Am I the only one that thinks that rover vehicle looks like an elephant?
They really need lunar bicycles. Far cheaper.
On the other note,
That looks terrible. How about taking a H2 Hummer, add 2 more wheels making it 6 wheel drive, thus saving us tax payers $100 million dollars.
Is it me or do i see forward cargo platform made out of wood??? Is that a hood ornament on the front bar thing that looks like an x-mas angel or a mini Yoda??
If you move drivers about 10 feet to the front, you can add a champagne room for another $10 mill.
it would be milestone in human being life>>>>>>>
If you Yanks wheren't so big time in debts (due to wars and overspending on gadgets) NASA whould have more money and delivered this thing in 1989. It looks like a POS, IMO.
Does anyone remember Mad Max II the Road Warrior? The suits look like victims strapped to the front of Lord Humungus' vehicle when attacking the gates!
I wonder how long AA would take to make a breakdown call?
Why does this make me think of this: http://media.outnow.ch/movies/images/1981/MadMax2/dvd-film.ws/14.jpg
So where's the trailer hitch on that thing?