In the year 2020, NASA will be back on the moon. This time NASA will explore thousands of miles of the moon's surface with individual missions lasting six months or longer. Just as we did during the Apollo program, NASA will be developing new concepts and technologies that also will benefit life on Earth.
One concept that is in NASA's current plans is a Lunar Electric Rover. This small pressurized rover is about the size of a pickup truck (with 12 wheels) and can house two astronauts for up to 14 days with sleeping and sanitary facilities. It is designed to require little or no maintenance, be able to travel thousands of miles climbing over rocks and up 40 degree slopes during its ten-year life exploring the harsh surface of the moon. The rover frame was developed in conjunction with an off-road race truck team and was field tested in the desert Southwest by driving on rough lava.
Nifty looking piece of kit!!!!. Notice how they have the "spacesuits" out the back (yeah...smart NASA!!!). Can you imagine the astronauts holding their breaths and jumping out the airlock, bounding around the back of the rover and trying to scramble into their suits before their lungs collapse and the UV burns them to a crisp!!!!
The first thing i thought of when reading this thread's title that;
How are we going to get the dog in the space-suit?
and worse....
How is he going to fetch??
The first thing i thought of when reading this thread's title that;
How are the going to get the dog in the space-suit?
and worse....
How is he going to fetch??
(Sorry.)
He'll come prepackaged and he'll have a little robotic arm
...and there'll be many new craters on the Moon. After he buries all of the equipment...and this will perplex the scientists back on Earth...the craters, that is
Wouldnt want the job of "bagging" Rover's doggy-do, but it does put a new twist on the famous phrase: "That's one small step for .... (squish) awww dammit Rover, not AGAIN!"
