Apollo 15 carried the first lunar rover used by astronauts on the Moon.
The Lunar Roving Vehicle was driven by David Scott and James Irwin during three excursions in August 1971. It extended the astronauts’ travel range around the Hadley–Apennine region, allowing them to collect geological samples from locations that would have been difficult to reach on foot.
Apollo 15 was the fourth mission to land humans on the Moon and the first described as a “J mission,” meaning it emphasized longer stays and expanded scientific work. The rover was folded into the Lunar Module Falcon and deployed after landing.
The vehicle travelled about 27.8 kilometres during Apollo 15. Lunar rovers were also used on Apollo 16 and Apollo 17, with Apollo 17 making the final crewed lunar landing in December 1972. Apollo 14 used a hand cart, not a powered rover.