Audi plans to launch its four-wheel-drive 'Lunar Quattro Rover' for the Google Lunar XPrize

Audi is planning to launch its four-wheel-drive 'Lunar Quattro Rover' in 2017 to the landing site of Apollo 17, the last manned mission to make it to the moon. The rover is being build alongside a German group of engineers, known as the Part-Time Scientists, as part of the Google Lunar XPrize contest. It will travel more than 236,100 miles (380,000 km) to the moon in a trip that will take around five days.

Google is funding a $30 million new-age space race, a competition to see who can be the first to put a rover on the moon and cover 500 meters across the lunar surface, all while beaming back high-definition footage to Earth. A series of independent teams around the world are competing, and Audi just got in the game in a big way.

The rover is powered by an adjustable solar panel captures sunlight and directs it to a lithium-ion battery. It feeds four electric wheel hub motors. A head at the front of the vehicle carries two stereoscopic cameras as well as a scientific camera that examines materials. The theoretical maximum speed is 2.2mph (3.6 km/h) – but more important on the rugged surface of the moon are the vehicle's off-road capabilities and ability for safe orientation. 'Double wishbone suspensions are used at all four of the wheels that can each be rotated over 360 degrees,' Audi says.

"With Audi we have acquired a strong partner that will bring us a big step forward with its technological and mobility capabilities," added Robert Bohme, founder and head of the Part-Time Scientists. "We look forward to future interaction and a fruitful partnership."

The German team's rover is set to be unveiled in 2017.

Via: [dailymail.co.uk]