Lockheed Martin Space and General Motors are partnering to create a new Lunar Rover, but they are missing one thing: tires. This is where Goodyear is coming in. Not only have they created tires out of soybeans, but they have agreed to create metal tires for GM’s moon buggy.
Goodyear designed the tires that were used on the first Lunar Roving Vehicles used during the Apollo era. According to the company, they are developing a variety of metal alloy compositions that can hold heat up to 250 degrees.
Rubber tires will not work on the moon for a few reasons. First, it gets as hot as 260 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime and then down to -280 degrees at night, which makes it impossible.
NASA is not the only entity that will have access to use them, though. They are planning on sending them with or without NASA’s backing, allowing organizations, international agencies, and private firms to use them for moon projects.
Lockheed Martin, Goodyear, and GM hope to have the Rovers parked and ready before astronauts touch down there in 2025.
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