Secure Your Journey: Expert Tips to Prevent Punctures on Your Moon Mission

Going back to the Moon and aiming for Mars involves a lot of new challenges. One crucial issue? The right wheels for lunar and Martian rovers.

Florent Menegaux, Michelin’s CEO, emphasizes that a flat tire is not an option on Mars. The experiences of the Curiosity rover, which suffered damage to its wheels shortly after landing in 2012, highlight this. The sharp rocks on Mars can easily cause wear and tear.

NASA’s Artemis missions plan to take astronauts back to the Moon, aiming for a return by 2027. Unlike the Apollo missions, which only covered 25 miles during six landings, Artemis aims to go much farther with rovers. Sylvain Barthet from Michelin asserts the goal is to travel 10,000 kilometers in ten years.

The challenges don’t stop there. Mars has extreme temperatures, dipping below -230°C at the poles. Dr. Santo Padula, a NASA engineer, points out that such cold limits the ability of materials to flex and regain their shape. If a tire deforms, it could slow down the rover and waste power.

In terms of material, Apollo’s rovers used simple metal wire tires, but today’s demands are much higher. Nitinol, a flexible metal alloy, is one exciting option. Earl Patrick Cole, CEO of The Smart Tire Company, calls its properties revolutionary. However, experts believe high-performance plastics may ultimately be better for long-distance travel.

Bridgestone takes a different approach by mimicking camel footpads, which spread weight, preventing sinking in loose soil. Their design could also navigate the rough terrain of the Moon more effectively.

Both Michelin and Bridgestone are presenting their tire technologies to NASA this year. Their prototypes are being tested in environments similar to the Moon’s. And these innovations might not just stay in space; Dr. Cole is also working on durable bicycle and motorcycle tires for Earth, inspired by his work for NASA.

As we push for advancement in space exploration, the stakes—and the technology—are higher than ever, with experts calling this the dawn of a new era in off-Earth mobility. This journey back to the Moon and beyond will not only change how we explore but could also lead to new innovations here on Earth.



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