I some how think that this moon rover may be put on hold for obvious reasons, unless NASA sells off its used space shuttles, where is the money coming from?

Originally posted by ziggystar60


Rather than taking up room with a full-size airlock, a "plainclothes" astronaut simply slides into an empty suit, pulls a lever to close the hatch and detach, and walks away.

Then, when you're done with your stroll, there's none of that nasty moondust to make a mess of the rover and lander. What a very tidy solution.

If this primitive vehicle were all I had, I do believe I would be staying firmly on earth. This is almost 2009, this is the best we can do? I don't know, it seems really primitive.

Originally posted by sean
Furthermore, the windows in this thing looks like plexi glass with no sun shield at all.

It's a prototype, not the finished product. A lot of what you see will change by the time it's done in 2019. Obviously the material of the windows will change. Even the design of the cabin could change completely by then.

I also noticed that the space suits are mounted outside the rover. How do you put on a suit that are mounted outside?? I thought well maybe they slip into them from behind inside the cabin, but then that don't make sense either! I always thought the top half of the suit and bottoms connect with a pressure ring.

You are correct, they get in from within the cabin. Just slip in, close the airlock behind you and you're ready to go. It saves space inside the cabin and prevents lunar dust from getting in like ziggy and Phage already mentioned.

As for getting it there. I assume it will be done in a similar method to the Apollo missions were the Lunar Rover was folded up and stored in the decent module with some assembly required once on the surface.

I rather like the vehicle. I really like that it's modular in design and how it can be configured in different ways (with or without the pressurized modual) and also how manouverable it is. I think it should be neat to see this thing cruising around on the Moon.

I think the makers of 'Armageddon might have a copyright infringement lawsuit to look forward too.. :-D

it is crazy how much they do look alike... lol