The recent innovation NASA developed for Mars missions is a special tire, called Superelastic Tire, which is "game changing, non-pneumatic, compliant" as described on the NASA website.
Image from NASA
In 2012, the tires of NASA's Mars Curiosity experienced very serious abration one year after landing on Mars, due to the rugged surface of Mar's, sparking concerns that whether it can successfully execute the mission.
Now NASA researchers may see the Superelastic Tire as solution. The use of a NiTi shape memory alloy are capable of undergoing significant reversible strain, up to 10%, allowing this tire to withstand excessive deformation without permanent damage.
Image from NASA
The new material allows the tire to produce 30 times as much deformation than conventional materials, and when the tire experiences this level of deformation, it still retains its
original shape after passing the obstacle.
If NASA's Mars mission goes on wheels, Superelastic Tire will probably put into use in the future. In addition, it can also be applied to other vehicles.
Image from NASA
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing’s first astronaut launch is off until late next week because of a bad valve in the rocket that needs to be replaced.
The countdown was halted Monday night after a pressure-relief valve in the Atlas V rocket’s upper stage opened and closed so quickly and so many times that it created a loud buzz. Engineers for United Launch Alliance determined Tuesday that the valve has exceeded its design limit and must now be removed, pushing liftoff to no earlier than May 17.
The NASA astronauts assigned to the Starliner capsule’s test flight to the International Space Station — Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams — will remain at Cape Canaveral.
Starliner's first crew flight already is years behind schedule because of a multitude of capsule problems.
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Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket is seen at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Stationa day after its mission to the International Space Station was scrubbed because of an issue with a pressure regulation valve,Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket is seen at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station a day after its mission to the International Space Station was scrubbed because of an issue with a pressure regulation valve, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket is seen at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Stationa day after its mission to the International Space Station was scrubbed because of an issue with a pressure regulation valve,Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket is seen at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station a day after its mission to the International Space Station was scrubbed because of an issue with a pressure regulation valve, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
