to map ice deposits close up-- simonj, Jan 15 2009 Lunar rover http://upload.wikim...place_(cropped).jpgNew thing? [Thrust, Jan 15 2009] Lunar rover. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LunakhodNot autonomous though. [coprocephalous, Jan 15 2009] You reckon I'm cruel to dogs?-- UnaBubba, Jan 15 2009 What kind of ice? The type american gangstahs refer to as ICE?-- neelandan, Jan 15 2009 In Circuit Emulators?-- Spacecoyote, Jan 15 2009 Hardly a new idea is it? Think: Lunahod. (no, not a device for carrying Moon bricks)-- coprocephalous, Jan 15 2009 Considering there's about 200M tonne of ice (estimated) on the moon, spread over an area of about 47,000 sq km, this is going to be a very busy rover.
To put it in perspective, 200 million tonne is 14km (9 miles) square by a metre (3ft 4in) deep, in an area 216km (135 miles) square. The ice is suspected to be widely distributed... between the poles and in dark spots in deep craters on the cold side of the moon... if it can be found in any quantity at all. It is believed it may exist as ice crystals in the regolith (soil) on the surface of the moon. The regolith is about 1.8metres (6ft) deep, on average.
The estimate of ice on the moon may be out be as much as two orders of magnitude. It may be as little as 10 million tonne. No-one really knows.-- UnaBubba, Jan 15 2009 \\ You reckon I'm cruel to dogs? \\
Would you have Rover ever return home (Earth)? Would Rover the moon-ice mapping dog also have nice warm wool pants to wear, while away way way up there?-- Sir_Misspeller, Jan 15 2009 Lambswool-lined jumpsuit and a big tank of oxygen. I think we'll change his name to Michael Valentine. Waddya reckon?-- UnaBubba, Jan 15 2009 \\ change his name \\
I like Rover myself. But thanks for the nostalgia. hah. : ) been decades ago that I enjoyed that strange story.-- Sir_Misspeller, Jan 15 2009 Ruffled a few feathers, didn't it?-- UnaBubba, Jan 15 2009 in an Exxon-Valdez sort of way, yes.-- FlyingToaster, Jan 15 2009 What about Earth's other moons?-- 4whom, Jan 15 2009 halfbakery