'Penguin' Could Hop around Lunar Surface

CNN.com, 31 Aug 2005 A robotic Lunar Penguin explorer could be hopping around on the moon by 2009, maker Raytheon Co. said 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. The Penguin can make a single jump of about six-tenths of a mile and could be adapted to make additional jumps, possibly over greater distances. Read more