US Army M1 Helmet - Korean War

A few weeks ago Time Magazine carried a story about the return by North Korea of the remains of US soldiers missing during the Korean War. The remains were sent in 55 boxes, but the boxes also contained things other than bones. In one box was a US Army M1 helmet that looked something like this. Modeled in Blender and rendered with Cycles.

Lunar Roving Vehicles Wheel

The Lunar Roving Vehicles (LRV, often referred to as Lunar Rovers or Moon Buggies) were made for the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions. They were transported to the mood in the Lunar Module and unfolded on the surface. All three of them are still there.

Each of the LRV’s four wheels, designed and made by General Motors, was powered by an electric motor housed in the wheel hub. The LRV had four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering. The Wheel assembly consisted of a spun aluminum hub (81 cm in diameter), a steel mesh tire with titanium chevron treads and inside the tire was a circular bump stop frame to protect the hub.

Interestingly, the LRV Operating Handbook published by general contractor Boeing in 1971 is available on the internet as a PDF document.

#Lunar_Roving­_Vehicle #LRV #Rover #Apollo #Blender #Cycles

Curiosity Mars Rover Wheel

Today on the surface of Mars there is a message made by the wheels of Curiosity. The message in Morse code is: dot dash dash dash; dot dash dash dot; dot dash dot dot. Spelling out, of course, the initials of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL. And this configuration is not entirely frivolous. As the rover moves over the Martian surface it photographs its own tracks, thus providing an odometer record for the trip. Who says engineers don’t have fun?

The wheel, seen here from the outboard perspective, is cast aluminum 50 cm in diameter and 40 cm wide.

Modelled in Blender and rendered in Cycles.

#Mars #Curiosity #rover #Blender #Cycles