A lunar rover or Moon rover is a space exploration vehicle designed to move across the surface of the Moon. The Apollo program's Lunar Roving Vehicle was driven on the Moon by members of three American crews, Apollo 15, 16, and 17. Other rovers have been partially or fully autonomous robots, such as the Soviet Union's Lunokhods, Chinese Yutus, Indian Pragyan, and Japan's LEVs. Five countries have had operating rovers on the Moon: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and Japan.
Landing sites of sample return and rover missions superimposed on lithology (Clementine UVVIS). Red: old lunar highlands. Blue: young lunar highlands. Yellow: lunar maria (high titanium). Cyan: lunar maria (low titanium)
Lunokhod-1 model, Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
The Apollo 15 Lunar Roving Vehicle on the Moon in 1971
Yutu rover on lunar surface in 2013
The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is a battery-powered four-wheeled rover used on the Moon in the last three missions of the American Apollo program during 1971 and 1972. It is popularly called the Moon buggy, a play on the term "dune buggy".
The U.S. Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle from Apollo 15 on the Moon in 1971
MOLAB, NASA Illustration, 1960
Apollo 16 astronauts in the 1-g trainer
Apollo 15 – Commander David Scott drives the Rover near the LM Falcon
