The Lunar Rover Vehicle Wallace E. Finn

EDCI-580 “The History of Space Flight”

Overview

• What was the LRV?

• Who built it and how much did it cost?

• What was its purpose?

• Specifications.

• Roadside repair.

• Where is it today?

• Moonbuggy contest.

What was the LRV?

• Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) more commonly known as the “Moonbuggy” was a four wheeled rover used on the moon during the Apollo 15-17 missions.

• When the LM landed on the moon the LRV was unfolded and locked itself together! Who’s ready to go four wheelin’?!

Contractor and Cost

• Developed in only 17 months by Boeing with Delco as sub-contractor.

• Final cost of $38 million dollars April 1, 1971 for four rovers (and eight models for testing/training.)

Purpose

• Apollo 15-17 were to be scientific missions.

• The “moonbuggy” enabled greater mobility of astronauts during the J-missions of Apollo.

Quote

• “…the Lunar Rover proved to be the reliable, safe, and flexible lunar exploration vehicle we expected it to be. Without it, the major scientific discoveries of Apollo 15, 16, and 17 would not have been possible: and our current understanding of lunar evolution would not have been possible.”

-Harrison “Bull” Schmitt Apollo 17

Specifications of LRV

• Top speed of 8 mph-Gene Cernan got 11.2 mph giving him the lunar land speed record!

• Weighed 463lbs and could carry 1000 lb payload-2 astronauts plus cargo.

• Aluminum frame 10’ long by 7.5’ wide by 3.6’ tall.

• Four .25 HP electric motors-one for each wheel.

Batteries and Cooling• Two 36 Volt silver-zinc potassium hydroxide non-

rechargeable batteries.• It could travel 57 miles before the batteries would lose

power.• Batteries and electronics were passively cooled by

using reflective upward-facing radiating surfaces mounted atop each battery unit.

• Radiators were covered with mylar blankets to minimize dust accumulation. When stopped the astronauts would open up the blankets and remove dust from the cooling surfaces with hand brushes. More on that later!

Roadside Repair

• During Apollo 17. Gene Cernan bumped a fender extension on the LRV with his hammer which knocked it off.

• Ensuing dust from the wheels caused the batteries to work harder.

• He tried to duct tape the fender extension on but the dust prevented it from staying attached.

Detail of Repair

• A new fender extension was made with EVA maps, duct tape, and Clamps from the LM.

• The clamps were removed and put back in the LM before leaving the moon.

• The maps that were used to repair the fender were brought back to Earth and are now on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

Fender extension

Wheel and Fender

Clamp

Where are They Now?

• All moon buggies that were used on the moon are still there today.

• A replica of the moon buggy can be seen at Disney World Resort at the Epcot center.

NASA Moonbuggy Contest!

• Students are required to design a vehicle that addresses a series of engineering problems that are similar to problems faced by the original Moonbuggy team.

• Each Moonbuggy will be human powered and carry two students, one female and one male, over a half-mile simulated lunar terrain course including "craters", rocks, "lava" ridges, inclines and "lunar" soil.

• Check out the website! Nasa Moonbuggy Contest

Bibliography

• “Lunar Rover.” Wikipedia. 14 Mar. 2010<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_rover>

• Williams, David. The Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle. 15 Nov. 2005. NASA. 14 Mar. 2010<http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/

lunar/apollo_1rv.html>• Image retrieved 14 Mar. 2010

http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov/• Image retrieved 14 Mar. 2010

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_rover>