Moon buggy on tap for inaugural parade

WASHINGTON (AP) - Before it gets to space, a moon buggy will make history by being the first to boogie along an inaugural parade.

NASA will participate in President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade with the crew of the latest shuttle mission and a small pressurized rover that is the current design for a mission to the moon in about 12 years. It will be driven by astronaut Michael Gernhardt.

While NASA has been part of past inaugural parades, it has never used a lunar rover as its representative before, agency spokesman David Mould said Thursday.

NASA hasn't chosen a final rover design yet, but the one in the parade is the leading prototype at the moment, succeeding wildly on a three-day desert trek in Arizona in October. It is different from the Apollo era open top rovers. It is sealed like a car, allowing two astronauts to sit in it without wearing bulky spacesuits.

The 12-wheeled vehicle which tops out around 6 mph will then go on display for Washington media the next day, spokeswoman Ashley Edwards said.

Also marching in the parade will be the crew of Endeavour: Chris Ferguson, Eric Boe, Donald Petit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Greg Chamitoff.

-----

On the Net:

NASA on its small rover being tested: http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esmd/home/black_point.html