NASA checks prototype lunar chariot
The prototype machine lunar NASA Chariot being tested at the Center for Space Research. Johnson on the court, simulating the lunar surface, reports New Scientist. In the future, these machines will be able razravnivat on the Moon roads, dig ditches and earth to dig in search of minerals. Weight Chariot of 2 tons and a maximum speed - 20 km / h. Production of the prototype was finished in September 2007.
It is equipped with a removable bucket to turn lunar soil, but the following prototypes possibly will include Excavator bucket and auger. According to Lucien Janquin leading the team of developers Chariot engineer, built the Lunar truck is not as difficult as it seems. Suffice it to apply knowledge about such earthly machines.
Independent drive for each pair of wheels spinning apparatus allows him to a place that skirt the crater wall and easily manoeuvre in confined spaces. The model is called Chariot (Chariot), because its cabin is at the rear of the apparatus. The machine can also drop in their chassis to the astronauts in the space suit was heavy it is a lot easier to climb.
At Chariot design heavily influenced by the lessons learned from operation specialists NASA Mars rovers. Despite the fact that each of them on a broken wheel, they continue to explore the red planet. So Chariot counsel and breakage of a wheel, because each has its own drive. The current prototype uses electric motors for cooling fans. In this way the moon disappears, and one of the possible solutions to the problem is the cooling liquid.
The first results obtained during the inspections, were much better than expected. However, engineers are trying to improve response time turning mechanisms. They also want to make sure that the machine can raise or omit any of its wheel, in order to maintain the same level of suspension even for a very rough ground.