Lunar Roving Vehicle

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV ) was a car that was driving on the moon. The 4 -wheel and electrically powered vehicle has been carried during the last three of the so-called J- class Apollo missions (Apollo 15, 16 and 17) in order to increase the mobility of the astronauts and also to carry on the moon technical payload etc..

The development began in 1969 under the leadership of the Hungarian physicist Ferenc Pavlics in the Research Institute of General Motors in Santa Barbara on behalf of Boeing Aerospace Corporation and lasted only 17 months. The designed of Pavlics wheels, it was thanks to them that the LRV - left behind by the three copies on the moon - could easily move under the adverse conditions.

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Construction

The LRV was 3.1 m long and had a wheelbase of 2.3 meters. It consisted mainly of aluminum, and had a mass of 210 kg. On the Moon, maximum load 490 kg could be fed, of which 353 kg on the astronauts and their life support systems, 45.4 kg on communication equipment 54.5 kg and 27.2 kg scientific payload on rock samples. Fully loaded was the ground clearance of 36 cm. The chassis was designed foldable, so that it could be transported in a pack size of 0.90 m × 1.50 m × 1.70 m below the lunar module. The assembly took approximately 20 minutes.

The LRV was driven by a respective 0.18 kW electric motor per wheel, which was connected to it via a translated with 80:1 harmonic drive gear. The steering was controlled via one 0,072 - kW electric motor per axle; the driver drove the LRV using a joystick, which was positioned centrally and therefore accessible from both seats. For the power supply two non-rechargeable 36-volt silver oxide - zinc batteries were responsible with a capacity of 121 Ah; so a maximum speed of 13 km / h and a maximum distance of 92 km was possible. Was navigated by a gyroscope and an odometer. The computer calculated from the data of the current position relative to the landing module. The communications equipment and two cameras, including a remote-controlled television camera were attached to the front of the LRV, while the devices for lunar exploration in a small frame on the back court found. The umbrella-shaped S-band directional antenna for television transmission needed to be aligned by the astronauts using an optical sighting device manually on the earth, so that while driving only a data and voice communications existed.

Inserts

Apollo 15

  • Elapsed distance: 27.9 km
  • Maximum distance from the LM: 5 km

Driver: David Scott and James Irwin

After the construction of the LRV took longer than planned to complete and did not work to control the front axle, the new vehicle has been thoroughly tested during the first exit to Hadley Rille. In particular, the navigation system proved to be very accurate. While two other EVAs you visited the Mons Hadley and again the Hadley Rille and scored a total of 76.8 kg of rock samples.

Apollo 16

  • Elapsed distance: 26.7 km
  • Maximum distance from the LM: 4,5 km

Driver: John Young and Charles Duke

During two EVAs you explored the Stone Mountain and the North Ray Crater. On the return flight was first tried to record the takeoff ascent stage of the lunar module with the camera mounted on the LRV. On this mission failed the Hinterachssteuerung of the LRV. The front axle controller worked again.

Apollo 17

  • Elapsed distance: 35.9 km
  • Maximum distance from the LM: 7.6 km

Driver: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt.

The North and Südmassiv were visited near the Littrow crater. On the second day a torn fender had to be provisionally repaired. These were only on board the lunar module existing means such as adhesive tape, folded lunar maps and brackets available. It is still the only repair was a vehicle outside the Earth. The LRV from Apollo 17 has you to thank for the legendary recording of the back starts from the moon. Already in the previous mission had been tested whether it was possible to record the return starting with the television camera mounted on the LRV. When Apollo 17 headed Mission Control operator Ed Fendell the camera from the ground and held in spite of due to the distance of the moon to the earth delay the control commands by about 2.5 s ( transit time) the launching spacecraft in the picture, which he later was honored by the German television magazine HÖRZU the Golden Camera.

Instruments of the LRV

The repaired fender of the LRV from Apollo 17

Running gear Santa Barbara, California Aluminium Ride height Littrow (crater) Lunokhod programme
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