Due to the extremely delicate structure of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, Apollo crews were warned to drive the LRV with great caution. Strict speed limits were placed on the 1 horsepower vehicle at an absolute maximum of 8mph to ensure the maintenance of proper safety during lunar surface excursions. Almost 250 thousand miles from the nearest tow truck or medical facility, astronauts had to exercise extreme caution.
Pictured: Apollo Astronaut John Young spraying some lunar dust while off-roading and catching some air shortly before reaching the lunar record-breaking speed of 10.5 miles per hour
During the Apollo 17 mission, after unloading the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) from the Lunar Module, Commander Gene Cernan accidentally knocked off the right-rear fender extension. This seemingly small incident had a significant impact, as without the fender, the wheel kicked up fine lunar dust that covered the rover and its astronauts, creating visibility and equipment issues.
Cernan initially tried to fix the fender using tape, but it fell off again. Ground control technicians on Earth suggested an innovative solution: taping together plastic-coated lunar map sheets to form a makeshift replacement fender extension. Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt followed this advice, creating a functional replacement that helped control the dust for the remainder of the mission.
This creative fix demonstrated the crew's resourcefulness and highlighted the importance of even the smallest pieces of equipment during lunar exploration.
A worker rolling steel for a submarine hull at Electric Boat Company Groton, Connecticut - 1943.
