Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Lunar vehicle test. Constellation program

Lunar vehicle test. Constellation program

author: Nasa/Novapix

reference: e-exl01-20219

Image Size 300 DPI: 25 * 17 cm

When tests conducted for NASA's Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) at Black Point Lava Flow in Arizona brought together engineers, geologists and astronauts to test NASA's new Lunar Electric Rover, the evaluations were no respecters of time of day, exemplified by this nocturnal run. Astronaut Mike Gernhardt and geologist Brent Garry with the Smithsonian Institution spent three days inside the rover, going through the motions of a real three-day geological sortie on the moon. The tests showed that using a pressurized rover would enable astronauts to explore more territory on the lunar surface by allowing them to live for days at a time inside the rover as they travel greater distances from their habitat than would be possible in a non-pressurized rover.

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - ASTRONAUT - CONSTELLATION - GERNHARDT MICHAEL - HUMAN - LUNAR VEHICLE - MANNED SPACEFLIGHT - NIGHT - PROTOTYPE - SPACE - TEST -