NASA celebrated another important moment in the history lunar exploration. The New York Times reported that the Lunar Roving Vehicle's 50th anniversary and the first people to drive on the Moon was July 31, 2021. Jim Irwin and Dave Scott, Apollo 15 astronauts, took the car to collect samples and explore lunar surface more efficiently than they could by foot.Scott and Irwin would drive the rover twice more (for a total time of three hours), before returning to Earth. Each of the Apollo 16 and 17 missions had their own LRV. A fourth rover was also available, but it was only used to spare parts and after the cancellations of Apollo 18 as well as other missions. All three models served on the Moon remained.Early development was difficult due in large part to the absence of real-world testing conditions. After all, they couldn't conduct a real world test drive. They settled on a collapsible design that used steel mesh wheels and could withstand the Moon's gravity, absence of atmosphere, and soft soil.The LRV was small, with a 57-mile range and four 0.19kW motors. It had an official top speed at 8 MPH. The cost of four rovers was $38 million, or $249 million in 2021 dollars. Cost overruns made it expensive. It was a key component of improved scientific exploration in the Apollo program's later stages. Additionally, it was a pioneering example of an electric vehicle that humans could use to ride on the Moon. This was decades before mainstream technology was available.Although we wouldn't be surprised if humans drive on the Moon anytime soon, that is a reflection of the 50 years of progress since then. NASA and other space agencies now focus on robotic rovers capable of exploring the Moon without any crew safety concerns. The autonomous vehicles that will be used by those humans who do take rides in them will most likely be autonomous. This anniversary is a celebration of the first step towards the technology we see today.
