Any construction base on the moon (and not only) will require effective means to move freight in conditions of loose surfaces and low gravity.

It is for these conditions engineers at the jet propulsion Laboratory of NASA (USA) create a conveyor ATHLETE (All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer), "cross-country of the six-legged extraterrestrial researcher"). All his legs to bend, and each of the seven "joints". The total manipulate slightly resembles the movement of a spider. With one amendment: each limb ends wheel to the relatively smooth surfaces mechanism could roll. If the path will be a hurdle ATHLETE will not be able to move, he would step over it.

If necessary, the belt can be divided into two three-legged part, acting jointly and able to pick up and move specially designed containers unique size is most suitable for transportation in the conditions of the moon.



While NASA has experience only a prototype, the size of half of the final version. Development costs of $2 million, which is by the standards of NASA, to put it mildly, penny. A full-sized version of the height at 7.9 m, according to the designers, will be ready for a space watch by 2017.

For orientation Transporter uses 48 stereo cameras placed in the extremities, frame and wheels that will allow to provide the cameramen on Earth the latest information on the location of each significant node device. By the way, Curiosity has only 17 cameras.

Works Rover on hydrogen and oxygen, which is planned to receive from a gas station disperses water lunar origin, using the energy of solar radiation.

Why systematic carriage in containers at long distances? The fact that the relief supplies from Earth have to be performed away from the base, otherwise there is a risk priunit the load right on the head astronauts.

The project seems relatively complex, but nothing is impossible from the technical point of view it is not. Another matter is how much possible to convince the U.S. administration of having such a difficult beginnings in the modern financial environment...