Early Spacex MEV-2 at centre, having dark orange wheels and a blue arm. Later Spacex MEV-2 at right, Golden Astronaut Prospector at left. Apart from the change in name sticker the latter two versions are identical.
Again the name change for the US market is a mystery. But if I'm right about why the Spacex Prospector became the GA Moon Explorer (see previous page), then this would explain the change here as well.
Size
Length
Width
Height (minus
arm & antenna)
Arm length
77 mm
42 mm
29 mm
52 mm
3 1/32 in
1 5/8 in
1 1/8 in
2 1/16 in
Features
Arm can be rotated and moved
Variations
Colours
The orange wheels and blue arm were in time changed to dark yellow wheels and purple arm.
Known
- MEV-2, orange wheels, blue arm & antenna, no markings at all
- MEV-2, orange wheels, blue arm & antenna, marked "Made in Hong Kong"
- MEV-2, yellow wheels, purple arm & antenna, marked "Made in Hong Kong"
- Prospector, yellow wheels, purple arm & antenna, marked "Made in Hong Kong"
- Prospector, transitional combination of yellow wheels with blue arm, suggesting the wheel colour was changed before the arm colour (lower picture).
Possible
- Trademarked versions
- MEV-2 with transitional combination of yellow wheels and blue arm
Prototypes & Mockups
Spacex card back photograph shows a MEV-2 without an antenna (or a hole to fit one) and its name on the front.
Packaging
Spacex
Golden Astronaut
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Origin
An illustration by Ed Valigurski in the Man and Space book, published 1964.
The vehicle illustrated has wheels designed by Grumman Aerospace - perhaps the entire vehicle may be a Grumman design.
Registered Design/Design Patent
Copies & Clones
Unknown for Thrift Toys
Unknown for Kresge Stores
Roxy
Linda
Futuristic
Sitap
The packaging illustration of another toy suggests another copy of the MEV2 was marketed by Kresge as well as the manufacturer supplying them.
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