A BIZARRE design for a Moon buggy that looks like a large baby stroller has been revealed by a startup company.
The lunar rover prototype has been designed by aerospace company Venturi Astrolab, which plans to make a fleet of them over the next few years.
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The aim is to help Nasa astronauts and other Moon dwellers get around efficiently when they’re on the lunar surface.
The rover’s design also leaves room for a base that can pick up rocks and other objects and ferry them to different locations with ease.
It’s being called FLEX, short for Flexible Logistics and Exploration.
It can be controlled remotely and can even carry out some tasks on its own.
It can also be modified so astronauts can take it for a ride.
FLEX suggests its design is compatible with Nasa’s plan for humans exploring the Moon and Mars.
A full scale model of FLEX was recently tested in the Californian desert by retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield.
According to Design Boom, Hadfield, an Astrolab advisory board member, said: “As we transition from the Apollo era, which was focused on pure exploration, to now, where people will be living for longer periods on the Moon, the equipment needs to change.
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“When we settle somewhere, we don’t just need to get people from one place to another, but we need to move hardware, cargo, life support equipment and more.”
He added: “It was not only a joy to drive FLEX but also see its size, capability and get an intuitive sense of what this rover can do.”
Jaret Matthews, founder and CEO of Astrolab, said: “For humanity to truly live and operate in a sustainable way off Earth, there needs to exist an efficient and economical transportation network all the way from the launch pad to the ultimate outpost.
“Currently, there is a gap in the last mile and Astrolab exists to fill it.”
FLEX isn’t the only new lunar rover that’s currently in the works.
The likes of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are said to be working on their own concepts and Lockheed Martin and General Motors are creating a new electric buggy for Nasa.
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