William Atkins
Friday, 23 January 2009 23:47
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 2
A very interesting video is available of a lunar exploration vehicle being developed for the new NASA missions to the Moon beginning around 2020. However, this time the LER was exploring the streets of Washington D.C. during the Inaugural Parade of new U.S. President Barack Obama.
On Tuesday, January, 20, 2009, NASA gave everyone a look at its latest prototype lunar vehicle—its Lunar Electric Rover (LER)—at the Presidential Inaugural Parade held in the U.S. capital city of Washington D.C.
During October 2008, the LER was tested in the desert of the American southwest, simulating the terrain of the Moon by running it over rough lava rocks.
Running on an electric lithium-ion battery, the concept lunar rover, being called “Chariot,” was driven in the Washington D.C. parade by U.S. astronaut Mike Gernhardt.
Take a look at the video at the BBC News website “
Nasa lunar vehicle unveiled.”
Additional information about the presidential parade and NASA’s participation in the parade is found in the January 17, 2009 iTWire article “
NASA mission to Obama Presidential Inaugural Parade.”
Its twelve wheels (six pairs) have the ability to move in any combination of forward and sideways motions while climbing up and down steep terrain and large rocks.
About the size of a
“pick-up truck,” the 6,000-pound, pressurized LER can accommodate two astronauts for up to fourteen days while exploring the Moon (or cities on Earth), complete with a full line of sanitary and sleeping accommodations.
Page two discusses the Tech.Blorge.com article, which connects the NASA LER and the old GM EV1 concept car.
