Originally posted by x2Strongx
225 and 250 degrees is still above the breaking point of the tape. They only tested the tape up to 200 Degrees yes, but they said that they had 50% leakage at this point!!!
The 250F is for the surface temperature of the Moon at high noon. Just because the surface of the Moon can reach that temperature doesn't mean everything else does. Different materials absorb and radiate heat and different rates. Plus the tape wouldn't have been in direct Sunlight the entire time either.
Holding up a bumper in 1/6 the gravity of Earth... maybe... but remember the reason why they taped on the fender was because of the rooster-tails from the dust. I doubt that it could take that much punishment.
How much punishment would it have taken though? The rovers top speed was 13km/h (8mph) and I don't believe they would have driven it at top speed the entire time.
I came across this in wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org...
The fender extension on the Apollo 17 LRV broke when accidentally bumped by Eugene Cernan with a hammer handle. The crew taped the extension back in place, but due to the dusty surfaces, the tape did not adhere and the extension was lost after about one hour of driving, causing the astronauts to be covered with dust. For the second EVA, a replacement "fender" was made with some EVA maps, duct tape, and a pair of clamps from inside the Lunar Module - nominally intended for the moveable overhead light. This repair was later undone so that the clamps could be brought back inside for launch. The maps were brought back and are now on display at the National Air and Space Museum. The abrasion from the dust is evident on some portions of the makeshift fender.
So it also looks like they used some clamps to help hold it in place and didn't rely strictly on the tape.
If the tape doesn't reflect the light, rays etc... wouldn't it heat up as well?
Well if it's the same silvery grey tape we have here, it would certainly reflect some of the light/heat, plus as I said before, it wouldn't have always been sitting in direct sunlight.
Originally posted by radarloveguy
Something has always confused me about the moon rover
if weight and space are prime concerns aboard a lunar lander ,
how could you take a car....? ...and golf clubs....?
Yes weight was very critical for the design of the Lunar Module. Which is why the Lunar Rover was carefully designed to be as light weight as possible. There is a good 5 part episode of "Moon machines" on youtube that focuses on the development of the Lunar rover. Here's a link to part 1
As for the golf club. On Apollo 14, Alan Shepard brought 3 golf balls and just the head of a six iron club (not the whole club). He strapped the head to the bottom of a sampling tool and used that. No other missions did this to my knowledge.
Originally posted by ufoptics
After viewing your picture I noticed the tires on the rover. They look like regular tires, which I assume are filled with air?
They aren't regular tires. Far from it. They are a woven wire mesh. Here are some close-ups.
AS15-82-11203
AS17-143-21933
AS15-82-11202
AS17-135-20542
