3D Rover - Apollo 15
(updated Oct 21, 2004)

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I have modeled this rover in Lightwave 7.5c. Thanks to everyone who has given me help, advice and kind remarks. Below are some renders of the completed model. I am in a constant state of tweaking the model as I find more pieces to the puzzle. Thanks Karl!

This is a "best guess representation" of the actual rover. I have tried to build it as best I can given the lack of really accurate data.

This flight was very special to me as I was lucky enough to view the Apollo 15 launch from Cocoa Beach those many years ago.

Special thanks goes out to Kipp Teague and his amazing Apollo Archive , Mark Gray's Spacecraft Films , Bob from the Apollo News Group www.geocities.com/bobandrepont/spacepdf.htm for his images and RealSpace Models.

A very special thanks goes out to Karl Dodenhoff for his ongoing support and his amazing array of imagery and diagrams. Thanks Karl, I couldn't have gotten this far without your help. Check out his site www.myspacemuseum.com

I recently modeled an astronaut. I am animating some scenes and will post those in a while. Special thanks to Dave Sander for the use of his suit images. Visit his "My Apollo Spacesuit Replica Homepage" site and please take a look at his film "Man Conquers Space". Amazing work Dave!

cheers,

Don H. McMillan


Some new rover renders!!

I have just made some new radiosity renders of the rover... (the lighting has a showroom style ) - click here


For the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal folks and the high gain reflection question!

I have attempted to place the high gain antenna on the same angle as "as17-134-20475" image below. My LCRU blankets are at a slightly different angle so the front left tire is in shade.




Here is a close-up of the high gain antenna area. I have made the mesh totally reflective to show what areas of the rover are reflected in the antenna. The television camera top appears to be in the same place as the reflections that appear in the Apollo 17 image.

Some other Apollo 3D work in progress

Apollo 16 landing site model

Images © 2004 D.H.McMillan except for NASA images