NASA tests new Moon equipment on Earth

William Atkins
Sunday, 15 June 2008 20:30

Science - Space

For instance, two K10 rovers were tested on the Moses Lake terrain.

Radar equipment on one rover analyzed subsurface structures. The other rover contained a three-dimensional laser system (called LIDAR) to create topographic maps.

LIDAR, short for light detection and ranging, is an optical remote sensing system that measures scattered light with radio waves in order to measure range, speed, and other information of target objects.

In another test, the Glenn Research Center and Carnegie Mellon University tested a rover that is used for drilling, the Autonomous Drilling Rover (ADR). It will eventually be used to find valuable resources under the lunar surface.

A Crew Mobility Chassis Prototype (CMCP), or lunar truck, was also tested. The lunar truck has wheels that can individually move in any direction.

Thus, it can drive sideways, backward, forward, and actually any way its driver wants to take it.

A series of photograph of the activities performed at Moses Lake by the NASA team can be found at “NASA Moses Lake photos.”