Goodyear and NASA develop 'Spring Tyre' technology

When the world's leading tyre manufacturer and space research organization come together something extraordinary ought to happen and that is exactly what has come to pass. Goodyear and NASA (The National Space Aeronautics and Space Administration) have now invented a one of a kind tyre that unlike its air filled cousins is made up of springs tightly woven together to form a composite tyre capable of carrying heavy loads, while on the move.

Honouring this monumentous feat in tyre technology, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company was presented with the R&D 100 Award for an airless tire capable of transporting large, long-range vehicles across the surface of celestial bodies such as the moon or Mars. The 44th Annual R&D 100 Awards ceremony, billed as the "Oscars of Innovation", was recently held in Orlando, Florida.

The tyre, developed last year, is constructed out of 800 load bearing springs. It is designed to carry much heavier vehicles over much greater distances than the wire mesh tire (which Goodyear also contributed to) that was previously used on the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). The new tyre could allow for broader exploration and the eventual development and maintenance of planetary outposts. It might also have applications on Earth.