Casgliadau Arlein

Wirephoto published in the Tribune newspaper in 1971. Purchased by David Hurn from MMG Photo Archives. Full title: This earth-weight version of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) which will be used for astronaut training, has been delivered to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration by the Boeing company. The Vehicle, called the "I-G Trainer" because it will be operating exclusively in the Earth's gravity, was built by general Motors' Delco Electronics Division, Boeing's major subcontractor. Boeing is building four flight model LRV's for NASA's Marshall Space flight Centre, Alabama. The first LRV is scheduled to be carried to the moon on the Apollo 15 mission in July, 1971. Technicians are shown here checking the trainer at the Delco Electronics Defence Research Laboratories, Santa Barbara, California. Although similar in appearance to the flight-model lunar vehicle, the trainer wieghs about twice the weight of the flight version. Added strenght is necessary because the astronauts and scientific payload are six times heavier than their weight on the moon. Due to the added weight and far greater use in training, automobile-type tires will be used instead of the wire mesh wheels planned for the flight vehicle.