What is a space rover?

Answer 1

A space rover is a portable labratory used to explore the moon and other planets. The Soviet Union sent up the first unmanned Rover, Lunokhod 1, which landed on the Moon in the Sea of Rains on November 17 at 03:47 UTC. The lander had dual ramps from which the payload, Lunokhod 1, could descend to the lunar surface. At 06:28 UT the rover moved onto the Moon's surface.

Lunokhod 1 was a lunar vehicle formed of a tub-like compartment with a large convex lid on eight independently powered wheels. Its length was 2.3 meters (7ft7in). Lunokhod was equipped with a cone-shaped antenna, a highly directional helical antenna, four television cameras, and special extendable devices to test the lunar soil for soil density and mechanical property tests. An X-ray spectrometer, an X-ray telescope, cosmic ray detectors, and a laser device were also included. The vehicle was powered by batteries which were recharged during the lunar day by a solar cell array mounted on the underside of the lid. To be able to work in vacuum a special fluoride based lubricant was used for the mechanical parts and the electric motors (one in each wheel hub) were enclosed in pressurized containers. Most unmanned rovers operate in much the same way asLunokhod 1 did.

The last 3 Apollo missions(Apollo 15, Apollo 16 and Apollo 17) each carried aRover tocarry astronauts and equipment several miles from the Lunar Module. The Apollo 14 astronauts were the last astronauts to walk the entire time they were on the moon. Their mission was to walk approximately 1.2 miles up a slight slope to the rim of Cone Crater. It took them so long to get up there and they were so exhausted once they got there that they only had about 15 minutes to take pictures and gather samples. They came within 60 feet of the rim, but never found the actual rim of Cone Crater. During the last 3 Apollo moon landings, with the help of the Rover, the astronauts were able to drive as far away as7 miles with no problems.