People first drove on the moon 50 years ago today

NASA has just celebrated another major moment in the history of moon exploration. the New York Times noted that on July 31, 2021 Brands the 50th anniversary of the Lunar Roving Vehicle’s first ride – and the first time people have driven on the moon. Apollo 15 astronauts Dave Scott and Jim Irwin took the car for a stint to collect samples and explore the lunar surface more efficiently than they could on foot.

Scott and Irwin will eventually drive the rover two more times (for a total of three hours) before returning to Earth. Apollo 16 and 17 missions each had their own LRVs. There was also a fourth rover, but it was used for spare parts after the cancellation of Apollo 18 and other missions. All three service models remained on the Moon.

Initial development was problematic, in large part due to the lack of actual test conditions. After all, they couldn’t exactly take a test drive in the real world. The team ultimately went for a foldable design with steel mesh wheels that could safely handle the Moon’s low gravity, lack of atmosphere, extreme temperatures, and soft ground.

The LRV was modest, with a range of 57 miles, four 0.19 kW engines, and an official top speed of 8 mph. It was also expensive, with cost overruns bringing the price of four rovers to $ 38 million (roughly $ 249 million in 2021 dollars). It was the key to better scientific exploration during the later stages of the Apollo program, however, and it was also an early example of a practical electric vehicle – humans used a battery-powered ride on the Moon decades before the technology does not become mainstream on Earth. .

We don’t count on humans driving to the Moon anytime soon, although that does reflect the progress made over the next 50 years. NASA and other space agencies are now focusing on robotic rovers that can explore the moon without worrying about the safety of the crew. Humans who take walks will likely use autonomous vehicles. Think of this anniversary as the celebration of a first step towards the technology you see today.