Apollo 15 Crew Drove GM’s Best on Earth and the Moon

In this photo from a 1971 Life Magazine issue, the Apollo 15 astronauts – from left Jim Irwin, Al Worden and Dave Scott – pose on the launch pad with their custom painted Corvettes. Stylized to compliment the colors of their crew flag, the Corvettes were red, white and blue and each displayed a set of dual racing stripes.

Also pictured is the 1-G Lunar Rover Vehicle (LRV) which the crew would take to the moon. Like the Corvette, the LRV was, in part, a General Motors product. GM was responsible for the all of the mobility systems and components of the LRV that the Apollo Crew 15 crew took to the moon.

The Corvette and GM had history with astronauts. Starting with Alan Shepard, General Motors supplied many astronauts with Corvettes. With a dealership close to the Space Center who offered “special leasing” terms,  the Corvette was an attractive option for men who were used to rocket power because when you drive the surface of the moon, no ordinary car will suffice when you return to earth.

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Photo credit: Life Magazine via Flickr; NASA