WASHINGTON -- Reporters are invited to attend a briefing about the NASA Lunar Electric Rover concept vehicle that will be driven down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington as part of the presidential inaugural parade on Jan. 20. The rover is part of a new generation of prototype vehicles that NASA is evaluating for use when astronauts return to the moon in 2020.

The briefing will be held in the NASA Headquarters auditorium at 300 E Street, SW, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 1:30 p.m. EST. After the briefing, NASA officials will escort participants to the vehicle and demonstrate some of the rover's capabilities for reporters.

About the size of a pickup truck, the rover can house two astronauts for as long as 14 days with sleeping and sanitary facilities. Among the rover's many unique features is a "crabbing" movement that enables it to drive its six pairs of wheels in any combination of forward and sideways motion to scramble over rough terrain. As an additional benefit, the vehicle is helping NASA develop new technologies that will be applicable to electric vehicles on Earth.

For a high-resolution photo and more information about the NASA lunar rover, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/LER.html