Manned/Unmanned Lunar Explorer (MULE)

[Graham1973]

Over the years NASA has run various systems engineering courses with universities around the United States. In the mid-1970 a group associated with Rice University was asked to design a Dual-Mode rover for use in the 1980's.

The selected design was for a two man, tracked rover.

Manned/Unmanned Lunar Explorer (MULE)

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19710005036_1971005036.pdf

 

[Grey Havoc]

Someone had a sense of humor when it came to 'Considered Acronyms'!

 

[archipeppe]

Such project reminds me so much this Tin Tin lunar tank (appeared in "Destination Moon" comics by Hergé).

 

[Graham1973]

Someone had a sense of humor when it came to 'Considered Acronyms'!

Indeed, it's one of the few pieces of humor I've found at the NTRS, though somewhere I have a copy of a study into Mars Sample Return, from the early 60's which has picture of a Martian scratching his antenna as the spacecraft takes off