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<p><font size="2"><font size="2">Moon buggy to debut in inaugural parade</font></font></p><p><font size="2">Lunar rover is NASA's leading prototype for future moon mission</font></p><p class="textBodyBlack"><font size="2"><font size="1">WASHINGTON</font> - Before it gets to space, a moon buggy will make history by being the first to boogie along an inaugural parade.</font></p><p class="textBodyBlack"><font size="2">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.</font></p><p class="textBodyBlack"><font size="2">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.</font></p><p class="textBodyBlack"><font size="2">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.</font></p><p class="textBodyBlack"><font size="2">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.</font></p><p class="textBodyBlack"><font size="2">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.</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>