# Are the lunar rovers still operable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lunar-rovers-still-operable/606224>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 14, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lunar-rovers-still-operable/606224 "2011-12-14T20:55:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lunar-rovers-still-operable/606224/21 "2013-09-27T18:56:50Z")

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> [@ZenBeam](#):
>
> Ultraviolet light, especially unshielded on the Lunar surface. No UV to speak of in your closet.

By comparison, my '76 Plymouth took about 5 years for the dashboard to develop cracks, flake, and transition from “padded” to “crunchy”. The seats lasted slightly longer. '60s & '70s polymer technology was not very robust.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the electronics still worked though. Analog circuits were very robust, not this wussy “keep the cat away from the surge protector on a dry day” crap we have now. The rovers probably also had a warm, full response curve, with a throaty top-end exposing long-sustain harmonics that you just can’t get with solid state. Wait, what thread was this?

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**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lunar-rovers-still-operable/606224/22 "2013-09-27T21:47:50Z")

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“Lunar Rovers” would make for a pretty good band name.

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**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lunar-rovers-still-operable/606224/23 "2013-09-27T23:54:04Z")

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> [@Supervisor194](#):
>
> I’m pretty certain the license plates have expired by now.

Plus you will never get a clear title, the lunar DMV is a real pain…

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lunar-rovers-still-operable/606224/24 "2013-09-28T00:07:57Z")

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> [@jasg](#):
>
> Plus you will never get a clear title, the lunar DMV is a real pain…

While getting there is a problem, the lines never are.

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