NASA's New Lunar Rover

NASA has unveiled a new prototype lunar rover, called the Chariot, a
production version of which is hoped to be operational on the lunar
surface by 2019. NASA is now testing the Chariot lunar rover in
Arizona, on terrain that resembles the lunar surface.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...nar_rover.html

"Mark R. Whittington" wrote in message
...
NASA has unveiled a new prototype lunar rover, called the Chariot, a
production version of which is hoped to be operational on the lunar
surface by 2019. NASA is now testing the Chariot lunar rover in
Arizona, on terrain that resembles the lunar surface.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...nar_rover.html

"One of the more unusual innovations is a pair of slip-on space suits
attached to the back of the pressurized cabin. 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.The
process can then be done in reverse to re-enter the cabin."

I don't like this idea - what if the suit needs repair?

"Alan Erskine" writes:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...nar_rover.html

"One of the more unusual innovations is a pair of slip-on space suits
attached to the back of the pressurized cabin. 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.The
process can then be done in reverse to re-enter the cabin."

The only reasonable approach if you want to avoid getting abrasive lunar
dust all over the innards of the rover. This way all the dust stays
outside.

I don't like this idea - what if the suit needs repair?

I'd guess the thing also has a hatch...


Jochem

--
"A designer knows he has arrived at perfection not when there is no
longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

On Oct 26, 9:21*am, Jochem Huhmann wrote:
"Alan Erskine" writes:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...new_lunar_rove....

"One of the more unusual innovations is a pair of slip-on space suits
attached to the back of the pressurized cabin. 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..The
process can then be done in reverse to re-enter the cabin."

The only reasonable approach if you want to avoid getting abrasive lunar
dust all over the innards of the rover. This way all the dust stays
outside.

I don't like this idea - what if the suit needs repair?

I'd guess the thing also has a hatch...

* * * * Jochem

--
*"A designer knows he has arrived at perfection not when there is no
*longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away."
*- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Either this or the space program needs enough water for a H2O shower
to wash of
the toxic abasive dust.

A lunar base is a fool's choice. The moon is a rock that lacks too
many
resources to be valuable beyond that of being a light in the sky.

If they find enough ice I'll retrack this comment but until then
I say built another Hubble except much bigger. Find another Earth
and send our grand rulers on the grand slow boat to China to the
Stars of far beyond.

On Oct 25, 2:32 pm, "Mark R. Whittington"
wrote:
NASA has unveiled a new prototype lunar rover, called the Chariot, a
production version of which is hoped to be operational on the lunar
surface by 2019. NASA is now testing the Chariot lunar rover in
Arizona, on terrain that resembles the lunar surface.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...new_lunar_rove...

What good is any stinking rover without a viable fly-by-rocket lander?

~ BG

On Oct 30, 11:42 pm, |"
wrote:
On Oct 26, 9:21 am, Jochem Huhmann wrote:



"Alan Erskine" writes:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...new_lunar_rove...

"One of the more unusual innovations is a pair of slip-on space suits
attached to the back of the pressurized cabin. 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.The
process can then be done in reverse to re-enter the cabin."

The only reasonable approach if you want to avoid getting abrasive lunar
dust all over the innards of the rover. This way all the dust stays
outside.

I don't like this idea - what if the suit needs repair?

I'd guess the thing also has a hatch...

Jochem

--
"A designer knows he has arrived at perfection not when there is no
longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Either this or the space program needs enough water for a H2O shower
to wash of
the toxic abasive dust.

A lunar base is a fool's choice. The moon is a rock that lacks too
many
resources to be valuable beyond that of being a light in the sky.

If they find enough ice I'll retrack this comment but until then
I say built another Hubble except much bigger. Find another Earth
and send our grand rulers on the grand slow boat to China to the
Stars of far beyond.

Our Selene/moon is well suited to rad-hard robotics. However, even
such robots will need a viable fly-by-rocket lander. Nearly 50 years
and counting, still no such lander.

~ BG