NASA and Goodyear have developed an airless, superelastic “Superelastic Tire” made from Nitinol wire mesh
NASA and Goodyear have developed an airless, superelastic “Superelastic Tire” made from Nitinol wire mesh. It recovers from 8–10% deformation on lunar and Martian terrain, preventing cracks. Lightweight and cold-resistant, its fatigue life and production costs are still under evaluation, and actual deployment is planned for next-generation rovers. By solving the cracking issues of aluminum wheels, it also eliminates flat tires. Tested on analogue courses in the U.S. and Europe, it’s being considered for Artemis lunar rovers and future Mars vehicles. However, long-term fatigue data under extreme thermal cycles and scalable manufacturing processes must be matured, so challenges remain.
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