Space Penguin Could Hop Around The Moon

notdanielp writes "A robotic Lunar Penguin explorer could be hopping around on the moon by 2009, said Raytheon on Tuesday, as it unveiled the concept lander at an aerospace conference. The unmanned lunar device, in development for two years, is 3 feet tall and weighs approximately 230 pounds. It "hops" by reigniting small propulsion engines ... President Bush last year refocused the space program on sending people to the moon, Mars and beyond. Raytheon said the Penguin could be a robotic precursor to future manned space missions and that it was being proposed to NASA."

Comments

You KNEW this was coming

[BlackCobra43]

.......but does it run Linux?

Which weapon, now?

[ScentCone]

From TFA: The Lunar Penguin, originally intended to land on the south pole of the moon to search for ice, is based on tactical weapons technologies, which should make it much more affordable, Raytheon said

Just curious what booster-powered hopping weapons system Raytheon has been working on lately, and if they have lasers strapped to their heads or what.

Name for the Machine?

[-Grover]

Personally I like

Lunar Terrestrial Unmanned Excursion.

Lunar TUX :)

Re:ill avoid the linux jokes...

[Red Flayer]

Please RTFA.

It's only called the Penguin because it was originally designed to explore the south pole of the moon to search for ice.

Penguins are native only to the Antarctic region (near the South Pole) here on Earth.

I don't know where they are native to on other planets.

Damn movie sequels

[Anonymous Coward]

It never fails that Hollywood will always ruin good movies with really crappy sequels. I can just see it now:
"March of the Penguins 2: Electric Boogaloo: In Space"