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David Randolph Scott is avid Randolph Scott is
a member of one of the a member of one of the
most exclusive clubs in most exclusive clubs in
the world. But he is not the world. But he is not
an ex-president, nor was he the Pope. an ex-president, nor was he the Pope.
No, Scott was on the moon. He spent No, Scott was on the moon. He spent
over 18 hours trekking in the dust. over 18 hours trekking in the dust.
One of only 12 men ever to set foot One of only 12 men ever to set foot
on our natural satellite. Even more on our natural satellite. Even more
importantly: He was the fi rst astronaut importantly: He was the fi rst astronaut
ever to drive a vehicle on the moon, ever to drive a vehicle on the moon,
which he aff ectionately refers to as which he aff ectionately refers to as
“our SUV.”“our SUV.”
Development of the Lunar Roving Development of the Lunar Roving
Vehicle, LRV for short, began in Vehicle, LRV for short, began in
October 1969, three months after October 1969, three months after
Neil Armstrong had become the fi rst Neil Armstrong had become the fi rst
person ever to walk on the moon. person ever to walk on the moon.
17 months later, with over 10,000 17 months later, with over 10,000
engineers and technicians at work on engineers and technicians at work on
the project and a budget of 40 million the project and a budget of 40 million
U.S. dollars, NASA had its fi rst LRV.U.S. dollars, NASA had its fi rst LRV.
Designing a vehicle for the moon Designing a vehicle for the moon
was truly pioneering work. It only has was truly pioneering work. It only has
one-sixth the gravity of the Earth. one-sixth the gravity of the Earth.
A person weighing 80 kilograms on A person weighing 80 kilograms on
Earth weighs just 13 kilograms on the Earth weighs just 13 kilograms on the
moon. But because muscle power does moon. But because muscle power does
not decrease on the moon, the same not decrease on the moon, the same
person can jump a long way with little person can jump a long way with little
eff ort. Accordingly, the LRV required eff ort. Accordingly, the LRV required
little energy to move. But due to the little energy to move. But due to the
lack of atmosphere, the traditional lack of atmosphere, the traditional
combustion engine with gasoline or combustion engine with gasoline or
diesel fuel did not work. The solution diesel fuel did not work. The solution
was an electric drive system.was an electric drive system.
When David Randolph Scott is asked When David Randolph Scott is asked
how he learned to drive on the moon, how he learned to drive on the moon,
the 78-year-old has to laugh. “It’s the 78-year-old has to laugh. “It’s
not really something you can learn,” not really something you can learn,”
he says. Of course, he recounts, he he says. Of course, he recounts, he
practiced which switches to operate and practiced which switches to operate and
how the joystick worked back on Earth. how the joystick worked back on Earth.
Again and again he drove around in Again and again he drove around in
circles during training, and turned the circles during training, and turned the
television camera in the rover on and off television camera in the rover on and off
as part of the testing. “But that doesn’t as part of the testing. “But that doesn’t
tell you how the chassis will respond on tell you how the chassis will respond on
the lunar surface,” explains Scott. His the lunar surface,” explains Scott. His
voice still resonates with the optimism voice still resonates with the optimism
so characteristic of the NASA heroes of so characteristic of the NASA heroes of
the moon fl ight era. Once on the moon, the moon fl ight era. Once on the moon,
Scott recalls, he put the rover to the Scott recalls, he put the rover to the
test very slowly at fi rst. As soon as he test very slowly at fi rst. As soon as he
The fi rst SUV
was driven on the
moon
Space travel
Modern pioneers
PHOTO | TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES
Find out more about the lunar rover at:
www.audi.com/ar2010/spacetravel
The Apollo 15 mission marked the fi rst time a vehicle –
the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) – was used on the moon.
Driver and NASA astronaut David Randolph Scott tells
of his greatest adventure.