  87. The Apollo 15 Lunar Roving Vehicle was the first motor vehicle on the Moon. The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is a spacecraft designed to carry two astronauts, their life-support systems, scientific equipment, and lunar samples on the airless, low-gravity surface of the Moon. Lunar Roving Vehicles were used on Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17 and were driven a total of 90 kilometers (56 miles) on the Moon. The crew of Apollo 15, the first to use an LRV, drove their vehicle 27.9 kilometers (17.3 miles) at speeds up to 19-21 kilometers (12-13 miles) per hour. In comparison the Apollo 14 astronauts traveled only 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) on foot. LRVs enabled the astronauts to carry heavy, bulky equipment and to place scientific instruments at considerable distances from the lunar module. An LRV could carry two astronauts as far as 91.5 kilometers (57 miles) across the lunar surface or operate for up to 78 hours. Each LRV was transported to the Moon in a compartment of the descent stage of a lunar module. Four LRVs were built by the Boeing Company. Three were used on the Moon; the LRV on display was used in tests. The LRV on exhibit is from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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