Japanese tire maker Bridgestone Corp. is developing tires for use by crewed rovers on the moon. The tires are metal and airless, designed to withstand the moon's extreme temperatures, rocky terrain and cosmic radiation better than traditional tires. Because the moon surface is covered in a layer of incredibly fine sand, Bridgestone opted for a double-tire structure with two tires attached to each wheel — like on large trucks here on Earth. That results in a contact patch area roughly six times that of standard passenger car tires, allowing for pressure to be dispersed across a larger surface. Bridgestone believes that some of its lunar solutions will help it develop new ideas for advanced concepts here at home.
Bridgestone's moon-inspired ideas
Japanese tire maker Bridgestone Corp. believes the tires it's developing for moon rovers could help with new ideas for projects closer to home.
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