What is a lunar rover?

Lunar rovers are space exploration vehicles that move across the surface of the moon. The lunar rover vehicle used during the Apollo missions provided astronauts with enhanced mobility, while robotic rovers, such as the Chinese Yutu rover, can be operated remotely.

Vehicles on the lunar surface must operate within a low-gravity vacuum. Lunar rovers were utilized by the Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions, where they allowed astronauts to explore over an expanded range. The first Lunar Roving Vehicle used independently powered electric motors on its wheels, massed 210 kilograms and used titanium on its tires to dig into the lunar surface.