Posted on 02/09/2022 5:35:30 AM PST by Red Badger
Hookie Co. has created this fully-electric motorcycle designed to play a part in interstellar mobility. The Tardigrade is a 8.5 feet long fully-electric motorcycle with a tubular exoskeleton that has a 68 mile range when fully charged. This won’t replace the rover but adds an additional source of transportation on the moon's surface, and while on Earth the Tardigrade is 300 lbs. On the moon, the motorcycle will only weigh 50 lbs. Learn more at Autoblog.com
VIDEO AT LINK......
Transcript: Moon motorcycle concept. The Tardigrade is not your average motorcycle designed by the German-based company Hookie. This concept is for astronaut transportation on the moon. The electric bike is 8.5 feet long with a tubular exoskeleton. When fully charged, the Tardigrade has a max range of 68 miles, and while the moon motorcycle weighs 300 lbs on earth. It will only be 50 lbs thanks to the moon’s gravitational force. Tardigrade will be exhibited at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
===============================================================================================
In early 2020, NASA asked automakers to help it develop the next lunar rover. It hasn't requested a lunar motorcycle, at least not yet, but that didn't stop Germany's Hookie from designing one. Called Tardigrade, the concept will be displayed in the Petersen Automotive Museum.
The goal wasn't merely to create a series of eye-catching renderings; the Tardigrade is a real motorcycle developed with lunar exploration in mind. Shaped like nothing else on the market, it's characterized by an almost flat silhouette, an ultra-thin seat, and handlebars uniquely positioned near the middle of the wheelbase. The steering system is electronic, according to Visor Down, and it's controlled by an app and an electric motor. There's also a tubular exoskeleton made with aluminum mounted around the battery pack and a pair of airless tires.
"We wanted to make the Tardigrade as realistic as possible. Additionally, the design should be modular as far as possible in order to be able to use it for future interstellar projects," Hookie explained. It added that the Tardigrade is capable of carrying both people and gear.
Hookie notes that the Tardigrade (a name borrowed from an eight-legged micro-animal) stands 2.9 feet tall and stretches 8.5 feet long. It's entirely electric, the powertrain was provided by a Swedish firm named Cake, and it offers astro-riders a maximum range of about 68 miles. It weighs a little under 300 pounds, so it's not unusually heavy for a motorcycle; the Harley-Davidson LiveWire weighs around 560 pounds. Besides, it'll weigh 50 pounds in the moon's one-sixth gravity.
While nothing suggests the Tardigrade will make its way to the moon anytime soon, it's headed to the Petersen Automotive Museum in October 2021. It will be part of the ADV:Overland exhibition, which shines light on adventure machines built for our planet and beyond.
Biden, the news media, and other Democrats will call it racists for those wheels that look like the Star of David.
LOL good one Al knows best.
Hell’s Angels - Sea of Tranquility Chapter.
If only Evel Knievel were still alive...
All the more reason to keep the shiny side up!
It needs Sugar Bear forks.
Lunar Banditos has a nice ring to it...
I am pretty sure you can wrap a bandana around a space helmet.
Hookie-Davdison just doesn’t have the same ring to it...............
Hookie-Davidson sounds like the name of a defunct patent medicine company.
Or a stripper.................
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Not just inertia. Under the moon’s gravity the tires would have 1/6th of the friction they would on Earth.
Right. I think the low gravity would give you very little control, yet you are wearing a massive backpack full of your life support system. The “pull” allowing you to lean will be almost nonexistent, and the tendency to continue in a straight line will be the same as on Earth. The tendency to grab “air” is going to be really high, also.
It’s a silly idea that looks “cool”. Sorta like a Mars probe “collecting” a rock for a later probe to come get. NASA’s brain-tank is on Empty.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.