NASA's Desert RATS field tests the Lunar Electric Rover on simulated 14-day mission
By Paul Miller 
posted Sep 20th 2009 8:55AM
posted Sep 20th 2009 8:55AM
[Via AutoblogGreen]
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Cool! But it isn't much of a looker, is it?
wtf dude.
Are they taping the next Moon landing film?
She's a total looker!
If not for NASA I have no idea how bad technology would be nowadays....probably would look like Back to the Future's town with Biff and his gangs.
NASA gave us GPS/entertainment satellites, crazy glue, freeze dried food and stretch pants. How dare you mock NASA?
Don't forgot TANG!!!
I dig moon rocks and NASA.
Hopefully you will never work for NASA with your grammar.
@Patriks7
"Hopefully you will never work for NASA with your grammar."
...and we all know how essential grammar is to science. Word is to work at NASA you need to post 300 snide grammar related posts on the internet. Well done Patriks7, you are on your way to designing exciting new flavors of Tang.
There's nothing wrong with that grammar. Ye Gods...
It was actually supposed to be a reply to the post above...
Then it wouldn't be a grammar mistake, it would be a spelling one.
LER: Houston we have a problem.
Houston: This Houston, LER please state your problem.
LER: Our trajectory is off.
Houston: Please elaborate, LER.
LER: We've input Mars as or destination, in the navigation system, but we seem to have landed in some desert in Arizona. Please advise.
Houston: RATS! We'll get our engineers on it.
Houston: I think we figured it out... You see some of our engineers were using the metric system and some were using the Imperial so you see...
Houston, we have a drinking problem.
THIS THING IS SO F$&KING COOL. CAPS LOCK SIMPLY ISN'T ENOUGH TO EXPRESS THE SHEER AWESOMENESS OF THIS VEHICLE.
OMGWTFBBQL33T!!!111!!!
I agree, it is cool. But this video didn't show hardly enough of it in action.
14 days alone with other men in a small rover? LAN party!
one astronaught will rise up, kill the other males and then mate with the female mission commander.
Therefore, females might want to pass this trip up cause their vaginas won't be safe.
Some of these new baby strollers are just over the top.
Road trip!
This is why I can never be an astronaut...
14 days in a confined space with other people.... ugh. I give them major props.
really? that is the one reason?
A lunar Winnegabo... sweeeeeet.
"Looks like a Winnegabo with wings!"
NASA needs some advice on cosmetic design. Their rover might be functional but it sure isnt a looker..
You see, this is what happens when you only have engineers on your design team, they are all too busy with things the "life support" and "functionality" and "efficiency" and they therefore disregard things like "style" and "marketability" and "being hip to current trends". Typically we're used to seeing things like this in Hollywood, where things like style matter. Sure what you see in a movie will look pretty, but the graphic designer who designed that movie rover really has no idea what it takes to send that thing to the moon and back on a flying bomb and still not kill anyone in the process.
But who knows, if the engineers gave a little effort into making the first moon missions look pretty, I could be typing this on mars instead of in my college library.
Why is it the Lunar "Electric" Rover?
Haven't all the rovers been electric and solar-powered anyway?
I know electric vehicles are all the rage nowadays but it just seems pointless.
What's wrong with the old steam rovers anyway :)
But you are right, it's silly, and probably only there for abbreviation reasons, but even then it's a poor excuse.
Also since it's so slow perhaps they should put that in the name instead, lunar electric stroller instead of rover, or lunar electric stroller system, 'LESS'.
I thought that was the moon for a second
Wait until post-production, THEN they will be on the moon. ;^)
Awesome, I did some modeling work with these vehicles, it's really cool to see them in action :D
The one big white one is cool, but the little red one following it seems like lazy design to me.
i have to say LOL.i think GM truck can do better than this monster RATs
I hope NASA at least "fakes" their next lunar landing in 1080p.
/sarcasm
I'll take 14 days alone in the lunar rover with the interview women! or at least 14 hours!
More like 14 seconds
The guy in the orange jumpsuit (who are you kidding with that? And a little note: orange jumpsuits have a bad aftertaste nowadays), anyway, he reminds me of 'superdave' when he talks about what's happening, I just hope it doesn't end like that.
When I went to JPL we were supposed to see this guy, but at the time they were testing it in WA state I think(or Arizona, don't remember).
This would have been REALLY cool to see.
Me and my roommates tend to watch the NASA channel at midnight and they've been talking about the LER and tri-athlete all week. All I can really say is NASA needs more spider robots.
Oh and also on the NASA channel they said the prototype Tri-Athlete in the photo above is half the size of the one they would actually use.
Hey I was there! I wasn't there when they were staying in the rover, but it was still fun. I did get a lot of experience driving the LER (Chariot).
Someone with some time on their hands might want to look up the NASA budget for NASA decals.
I like NASA
I also like that America continues to spend so many million on it for the sole reason that one those lunar rovers 'are just freaking awesome'
Totally legitimate argument, no sarcasm.
Looks almost like a ladybug.
Development to the next level. NASA...
more like 14 seconds
Is it just me or does it just look like a golf buggy?...... Oh wait the thing on the right, I'm with you now!
Airtight golf cart though, with a complex lifesupport system.
Also; about a million bucks more expensive - wholesale.