 For Apollo 16 astronauts Young and Duke, the lunar rover was a valuable tool, allowing them to explore greater areas of the moon's surface. But to millions of Americans watching from Earth, it looked like just plain fun. Everyone wanted to take the rover for a ride. Tom worked certainly did, but for a stronger reason. Here was a vehicle that took only one hand to operate. A 1970 automobile accident left Tom partially paralyzed. His dream of having a single-stick control system like the rovers for his own vehicle began to take shape in March 1974, when he and his wife Shirley were invited to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Tom was accustomed to the idea of driving with one hand. That's exactly how his wheelchair worked. The only modification required on the rover was the addition of a simple metal support for his arm. Tom's notion proved correct. He could indeed drive the rover. Inspired by Tom's performance, NASA teamed up with the Veterans Administration and awarded a contract to the Johnson Engineering Corporation in Boulder, Colorado. What Johnson has developed, with now 39-year-old Tom Wurtz's help, is a system called the Unistake. A 1981 Ford van with a conventional wheelchair lift on the back is being used in the Unistake project. Once inside, the driver pushes a button which rolls the Unistake control panel into place. To start the van, he just presses another button. Shifting works the same way. Moving the joystick forward accelerates the van. How far it is moved determines speed. Sliding the stick left or right turns the van in the desired direction. While pulling it back applies the brakes. Even people used to conventional steering wheels and pedals have said they actually prefer driving with the Unistake after only a few hours of practice. Handicap drivers have been even more enthusiastic. Johnson Engineering Vice President Nancy Daigle. Independence is a very, very key thing for handicapped people and they see the ability to drive and being able to transport themselves as regaining independence that they've lost. Being able to do things on his own is exactly why Tom Wurtz is so excited about the Unistake. You like to take off and go by yourself and do like you used to before you got hurt. It just gives you total freedom right into things. I just really be happy when they've got it all completed and out on the market. Johnson Engineering is now testing the Unistake to make sure it consistently performs as designed. Though now a part of this van, the system could be installed in just about any car or truck. The hope is that Unistakes will be commercially available by late 1987. Years since the Wurtzes first saw the astronauts driving their rover on the moon. And 12 years since they visited the Johnson Space Center in Houston. But the whole experience has left a strong impression, Shirley explained. Up until that point I think that we always felt that NASA was involved in the space program. That was it and that would never affect us ever. But now we know that their program gives us and everybody that's handicapped a chance to use some of their technology in our everyday lives that everybody else takes for granted. The Unistake Vehicle Controller. Helping handicapped people lead more independent lives by giving them the opportunity to drive.