The article discusses the challenges of developing tires for upcoming lunar and Martian missions, emphasizing the need for innovation after decades of hiatus. Michelin's chief, Florent Menegaux, underlines the importance of durable technology, given Mars's harsh conditions and the experience of Curiosity rover's damaged tires. The Artemis missions aim to explore further on the Moon, targeting to cover 10,000 kilometers over a decade. Extreme temperature ranges, especially at lunar poles, pose significant material challenges for tire functionality, needing them to adapt and recover.
One thing you cannot have is a puncture," says Florent Menegaux, chief executive of Michelin, emphasizing the critical need for durable technology on Mars and the Moon.
The target is to cover 10,000 kilometres in 10 years," says Sylvain Barthet, highlighting the ambitious distance goals for lunar rovers in upcoming Artemis missions.
At the lunar poles, temperatures can plunge lower than -230C, which poses significant challenges for tire materials and functionality, as explained by Dr. Santo Padula.
We're not talking about short, week-long durations, we're talking about decades of utilisation," says Dr. Santo Padula, outlining the long-term plans for lunar explorations.
Collection
[
|
...
]