Apollo 15 Astronaut James B. Irwin with Lunar Module and Lunar Roving Vehicle
8/1/1971
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On July 31, 1971, almost three years to the day after Neil Armstrong’s giant leap for humankind, Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin drove the first set of wheels on the Moon. The lunar roving vehicle (LRV), or "Moon buggy" as it is popularly known, was specially designed for use on the low-gravity lunar surface.
The astronauts' bulky space suits had required them to stay close to the lunar module during Moon walks on earlier Apollo missions, but LRVs allowed astronauts to cover more ground and travel farther from their landing site than they could on foot. The use of LRVs during Apollo 15, 16, and 17 not only greatly expanded astronauts' range of exploration, it made possible many of the major scientific discoveries that resulted from each mission.
The original description for this photograph reads: Astronaut James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, gives a military salute while standing beside the deployed United States flag during the Apollo 15 lunar surface Extravehicular Activity (EVA) at the Hadley-Apennine landing site. The flag was deployed toward the end of EVA-2 (start of EVA-3). The Lunar Module (LM) "Falcon" is in the center. On the right is the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). This view is looking almost due south. Hadley Delta in the background rises approximately 4,000 meters (about 13,124 feet) above the plain. The base of the mountain is approximately 5 kilometers (about 3 statute miles) away. This photograph was taken by astronaut David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander.
The astronauts' bulky space suits had required them to stay close to the lunar module during Moon walks on earlier Apollo missions, but LRVs allowed astronauts to cover more ground and travel farther from their landing site than they could on foot. The use of LRVs during Apollo 15, 16, and 17 not only greatly expanded astronauts' range of exploration, it made possible many of the major scientific discoveries that resulted from each mission.
The original description for this photograph reads: Astronaut James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, gives a military salute while standing beside the deployed United States flag during the Apollo 15 lunar surface Extravehicular Activity (EVA) at the Hadley-Apennine landing site. The flag was deployed toward the end of EVA-2 (start of EVA-3). The Lunar Module (LM) "Falcon" is in the center. On the right is the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). This view is looking almost due south. Hadley Delta in the background rises approximately 4,000 meters (about 13,124 feet) above the plain. The base of the mountain is approximately 5 kilometers (about 3 statute miles) away. This photograph was taken by astronaut David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander.
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
National Archives Identifier: 16705607
Full Citation: Photograph 255-AMP-AS15-88-11866; Apollo 15 Mission image - View of Station Lunar Module (LM), LM Pilot and Flag, N; 8/1/1971; Apollo 15 - AS15-81-10869 through AS15M-2777; Photographs of the Apollo Space Program, 11/9/1967 - 12/19/1972; Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Record Group 255; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/apollo-15-lunar-rover, September 28, 2023]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
