NASA / U.S. Geological Survey

The Mobile Geological Laboratory, or MOLAB, was built as part of the development of NASA's Lunar Roving Vehicle program. NASA engineers and scientists studied different vehicle concepts for use on the lunar surface, and this rover included an extensive geology lab in a pressurized shirt-sleeve environment. The MOLAB concept carried enough fuel and supplies to keep a lunar surface crew mobile for two weeks. It was cancelled after the elimination of Apollo long-duration lunar surface missions and because of tight weight restrictions. Before being retired and placed on display, MOLAB took part in navigation, communications, and geological studies for both NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. NASA's final rover design was much lighter and was carried as part of the Lunar Module until it was time to deploy it on the lunar surface. MOLAB research also influenced current pressurized rover design concepts. Its dimensions were 18 feet long, 9.5 feet wide, and 10 feet high, and its top speed was 21 miles per hour.

Huntsville, Alabama · United States