The mission to the moon, that's what it's all about in today's day and age. India too is all set to launch Chandrayaan 2 today and there's no doubt that the journey will be one of the most memorable of ones for our country. But it was 50 years ago that man first laid foot on the moon and since then the endeavour to go further has catered to the human nature of curiosity. But 50 years ago astronauts laid foot on the moon but there were some tyres too with them because as man's companion there was an ultimate off-roader available - the Lunar Rover. Polaris, wanted to celebrate the legends of the Apollo 11 mission and hence collaborated with the US Space and Rocket Centre (USSRC) in Huntsville, Alabama to create a working replica of the Lunar Rover.
The new Polaris Lunar Rover replica gets replica brakes, accelerates, and has four-wheel Ackermann steering, like the original NASA Lunar Rover Vehicle (LRV). The fenders were fiberglass moulded using the original 50-year old moulds that produced the parts that are on the moon. The replica, however, is much faster than the original.
The new Polaris Lunar Rover replica gets replica brakes, accelerates, and has four-wheel Ackermann steering, like the original NASA Lunar Rover Vehicle
Members from the original LRV crew and a NASA astronaut worked with the Polaris Lunar Rover Replica team on the project from start to finish. Polaris employees volunteered their time to work on the development of the near-exact LRV replica.
Bryan Ogle, manager of manufacturing at Polaris said, "Having the opportunity to honor legends, work with members of the original crew and lend our expertise and technologies to build this Lunar Rover Replica has been incredible. One of the coolest things was being able to mould the fiberglass fenders using the original 50-year-old moulds. And now seeing it in action, riding it, it's amazing."
Photo Credit: Raeley Stevenson
