Grumman Propsed Lunar Roving Vehcle

[Robspace54]

During the Apollo era Grumman was one of the bidders to build a lunar roving vehicle for later Apollo lunar landing missions. Their proposal had a 4-wheel version for an astronaut to ride and a 6-wheel version that could be teleoperated from Earth. This version had the "Markow" wheels which are very distinctive.

Does anybody have any more detail about this proposal?

Thanks,

Rob

[TRS717]

During the Apollo era Grumman was one of the bidders to build a lunar roving vehicle for later Apollo lunar landing missions...

Does anybody have any more detail about this proposal?

I'd recommend "Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings," a great 2021 read by Earl Swift, which covers the Grumman proposal at some length:

https://www.amazon.com/Across-Airless-Wilds-Triumph-Landings/dp/0062986538

[Robspace54]

Thank you!

I found this interesting summary of lunar driving simulators.

https://www.jmargolin.com/svr/refs/ref15_lunar_driving_history.pdf

As an aside, the "Diamonds Are Forever" 'Moon Buggy', created by artist Ken Adam, was then built by Dean Jeffries of LA. An early version had Markow Wheels.

[leovinus]

During the Apollo era Grumman was one of the bidders to build a lunar roving vehicle for later Apollo lunar landing missions. Their proposal had a 4-wheel version for an astronaut to ride and a 6-wheel version that could be teleoperated from Earth. This version had the "Markow" wheels which are very distinctive.

Does anybody have any more detail about this proposal?

Thanks,

Rob

"The Lunar Exploration scrapbook" by Robert Godwin has a few pages on it, pp 139-142. You can find the book on Amazon.

[spacenut]

I figured with Starship, a larger enclosed rover where astronauts can take off their helmets and breathe and feel freer roving around.  Then put their helmets and maybe gloves back on to get out and explore.  It could be built on a Tesla tractor trailer truck base with a large enclosure and air lock.  Might be heavy but with Starships landing multiple times offload one.   

[Robspace54]

MOLAB - Mobile Lab

One version shown here.

[leovinus]

MOLAB - Mobile Lab

One version shown here.

We discussed MOLAB earlier here

[Robspace54]

Okay, so the original Grumman version was adapted later for the "Dual Mode Roving Vehicle" proposal, which could be a robot or man-driven and tended.

[Blackstar]

I wrote about the General Motors proposal here (with lots of illustrations):

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4931/1

[catdlr]

I wrote about the General Motors proposal here (with lots of illustrations):

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4931/1

That was a fun read.  Thanks.  Any of those renderings could have made a good sci-fi movie vehicle.  Thanks for the time and effort to put that article together.

[Robspace54]

Thank you Dr. Day for the cogent article and all the others that you write! 

[Blackstar]

Get the book recommended up-thread: "Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings," by Earl Swift.

https://www.amazon.com/Across-Airless-Wilds-Triumph-Landings/dp/0062986538

I'm glad that somebody finally wrote about that subject.