NASA demos 2020's 12-wheeled, pressurized lunar rover concept car

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.]

[KAIKAI @ Oct 26th 2008 7:16PM]

wow...really now all this when you just use a wheelbarrow

[Chris @ Oct 26th 2008 7:18PM]

If you take a quick glance at just the white parts of the picture it looks like an elephant.

[Cunthor @ Oct 26th 2008 8:00PM]

No. It looks like a sad elephant. :(

[Brandon Chan @ Oct 26th 2008 8:01PM]

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 :)

[Brazell @ Oct 26th 2008 11:33PM]

I thought the exact same thing. I thought that it was like a joke ... "Oh, the Nasa Elephant Car."

[TRAFFICBLOWS @ Oct 27th 2008 8:18AM]

ha! yeah, first thing I saw: an elephant with 2 trunks!?!?!?

[OneLove @ Oct 27th 2008 10:57AM]

Yes, moon elephants have 2 trunks and eat cheese.

[Chris @ Oct 26th 2008 7:19PM]

If you take a quick look at just the white parts of the picture it looks like an elephant.

[Chris @ Oct 26th 2008 7:20PM]

... *insert comment system rant type thing*

[Esat Dedezade @ Oct 26th 2008 7:22PM]

Ahh, you beat me to it :)

[Keith @ Oct 26th 2008 7:55PM]

An elephant with sad eyes and four trunks.

[james43062 @ Oct 26th 2008 9:07PM]

Mr. Snuffleupagus, in a pressure suit.

[John @ Oct 27th 2008 12:14AM]

Nu Nu, from the Teletubbies.

[OS @ Oct 27th 2008 1:10AM]

Looks like Cthulhu on a skateboard.

[Isomorphic @ Oct 26th 2008 7:23PM]

Caption Contest:

"Houston can't see us, over"

[mvp @ Oct 26th 2008 7:29PM]

They forgot to mention the price tag which will probably run in the millions like all their other equipment.

[craig @ Oct 26th 2008 7:29PM]

Saturn cars cost 20k, and are actually useful, why not use them?

[DeoWulf @ Oct 26th 2008 8:03PM]

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.

[pfromg @ Oct 26th 2008 9:30PM]

>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.

[DeoWulf @ Oct 26th 2008 9:47PM]

Are you judging based on aesthetics, or functionality? I'd say the less aesthetics the better-- /that's/ a waste of money.

[Jack @ Oct 27th 2008 8:49AM]

surely they could make it more aerodyn... oh, wait...

[deyanimay @ Oct 26th 2008 7:31PM]

Its a portable toilet. Those two guys are trying to hold it in while waiting in line.

[deyanimay @ Oct 26th 2008 7:34PM]

"Houston we have a problem. the toilet backed up."

[Brian @ Oct 26th 2008 7:36PM]

UMMMM why is nasa driving around when they can be FLYING around....?

[DeoWulf @ Oct 26th 2008 8:04PM]

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.

[Anthony H. @ Oct 26th 2008 7:38PM]

Am I the only one that thought the picture looked like Zoidberg?

[Brian @ Oct 26th 2008 7:40PM]

what's with the broken ankle on astronaut #1?

[iEye @ Oct 26th 2008 7:48PM]

I don't think aliens will be impressed by our technology...

perhaps we should show them the iPhone...

[Esat Dedezade @ Oct 26th 2008 8:06PM]

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.

[iEye @ Oct 26th 2008 8:12PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FFkvhoEfX8

[toxicpiano @ Oct 26th 2008 7:49PM]

Does anyone else think this looks utterly hilarious?

[Rick @ Oct 29th 2008 10:45AM]

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...

[McFly @ Oct 26th 2008 7:51PM]

that's the same site were the original "moon landing" was filmed

[DeoWulf @ Oct 26th 2008 8:07PM]

Yup, you can recognize the Moon-grass and sedimentary rock. Same exact place. :p

[Biff @ Oct 26th 2008 8:21PM]

Helloooo McFly Think McFly Think!!!

[McFly @ Oct 26th 2008 8:25PM]

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

[McFly @ Oct 26th 2008 8:31PM]

oh and Biff, don't forget, two coats of wax on my car... , thanks

[Ac14 @ Oct 26th 2008 7:54PM]

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.

[McFly @ Oct 26th 2008 8:49PM]

i see you missed the sarcasm in all those posts

[Knives_Out @ Oct 26th 2008 7:58PM]

looks like Snuffleupagus for some reason

[BigD145 @ Oct 26th 2008 8:05PM]

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.

[toxicpiano @ Oct 26th 2008 8:08PM]

Would airbags work on the moon?

[Brad @ Oct 27th 2008 1:39PM]

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.

[Artie Lange @ Oct 26th 2008 8:16PM]

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.

[scott @ Oct 26th 2008 9:09PM]

we ridin spinnaz'


















they don't stop.

[Artie Lange @ Oct 26th 2008 10:56PM]

You'd never get caught ridin' dirty in that whip.

[OneLove @ Oct 27th 2008 10:59AM]

They ghost riding the whip.

[Antonio @ Oct 26th 2008 8:55PM]

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.

[Gikku @ Oct 27th 2008 2:41AM]

not if the Chinese get there first

[metal @ Oct 26th 2008 9:29PM]

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?