No one in SEDS has been involved in building a moon buggy before, so we have no experience in the process. The closest thing we've done is help judge a few races, so we have seen some moon buggies and a couple race courses. We have an idea of what we're up against, but we have never even tried to solve the problem.

However, we do know that making a moon buggy isn't easy. If its going into space, its got to be small and light. The moon buggy has to fold into a 4 ft X 4 ft X 4 ft cube -- just like the moon buggy that actually went to the moon. Although there is no mass restriction, the two people who will control the buggy during the race must lift and carry it over a short distance. A heavy buggy will also have trouble with some of the bumps and inclines.

To make it more difficult, last year's terrain was more than most land vehicles can take. With plenty of bumps, craters with diameters of up to a meter (~3 ft) and up to 30 cm (1 ft) deep, and non-semetric shapes, the obstacles really give the moon buggies a beating. I saw one buggy fly after it raced over an incline and then break in two peices when it hit the ground. Saying that the moon buggies have to be rugged is an understatement.

The offical requirements for last year were:

• The vehicle has to fit into a 4 ft X 4 ft X 4 ft cube (assembled or dissasembled)
• The vehicle has to be human powered
• The vehicle has to carry one female and one male passenger (or driver)
• The two drivers have to be able to carry the vehicle over a distance of 20 ft without the use of rollers, or anything else
• Energy storage devices, such as springs, momentum wheels, etc.. are NOT allowed
• The materials used are to be chosen by the team
• The vehicle has to be equipped with (dummy) radio, computer, accessory equipment
• No body part may be closer than 12 inches to the ground

After we have tackled the numerous design problems, we can build a moon buggy. Then we can do what this is all about -- having fun in a lunar race.

Back to the SEDS Moon Buggy page