NASA demos 2020's 12-wheeled, pressurized lunar rover concept car
By Tim Stevens 
posted October 26th 2008 7:07PM
posted October 26th 2008 7:07PM
[Thanks, Peter D.]
posted October 26th 2008 7:07PM
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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?