NASA has invented a tire that can withstand even the toughest terrain without getting a flat. After riding over bumps and rocks, the woven-mesh metal tire springs back into its original shape.
The inspiration for the resilient wheel comes from NASA's Mars rover "Curiosity," which has encountered numerous issues navigating rough Martian turf. It's currently programmed to simply avoid pointy obstacles.
But NASA scientists wanted a more permanent solution, leading to the creation of a tire that can return to its original form after being penetrated by sharp surfaces.
Exploration requires mobility—we’re working with game-changing materials and new designs to develop the next generation of spring tires for space exploration. Discover how we're using shape memory alloys to reinvent the wheel: https://t.co/xwL4dlYZUd pic.twitter.com/7V47i3qrDH
— NASA Glenn Research (@NASAglenn) November 17, 2017
NASA says the new tire may someday be used not only on future Mars missions, but on vehicles on Earth as well.
