Lunar Hand Tool Carrier

The exhibit included an LRV lunar hand tool carrier. As its name implies, it was a tool rack which is designed to be carried behind the seats at the aft of the Lunar Roving Vehicle. The carrier could also be removed from the LRV, should the astronauts need the tools at a location farther away from the LRV.

The carrier was designed to attach to the LRV aft pallet assembly (which, itself, also held tools). One side of the carrier had two hinge halves (ears) which were inserted into corresponding clevises on the pallet assembly, where pip pins would automatically engage. The carrier was was secured by a latch keeper (ear) on top of the carrier's other side, again being inserted into a clevis on the pallet assembly and restrained by a pip pin.

When the astronauts needed to access tools on the carrier or the pallet assembly, they could lift a handle until the pin cleared the hand tool carrier's latch keeper ear and the carrier could be swung open.

The sign accompanying the exhibit reads

A Bigger Toolbox

Better Tools

Apollo 15 was the first Apollo mission to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). The LRV allowed the two astronauts on the lunar surface to explore a larger area of the Moon, to carry a wider variety of equipment, and collect more lunar samples for return. The large tool rack style displayed here could be mounted to the back of the lunar rover and provided the astronauts with convenient access to tools such as sample bags, spring scale, sampling hammer, tongs, adjustable scoop, extension handle, and rake. The rack could also be carried by hand during treks away from the rover.

I've found relatively little documentation regarding the hand tool carrier on individual missions. However, after reviewing EVA photos from Apollo 15, Apollo 16, and Apollo 17 and reading On the Moon with Apollo 17 and the Apollo 17 Lunar Roving Vehicle Payload Handbook, I believe that Apollo 17's LRV did not include a hand tool carrier, but rather had a redesigned aft pallet assembly.

See my page on the lunar hand tool carrier and aft pallet assembly.