NASA Challenge Tests New Wheel Designs for Lunar Base Mobility
NASA has concluded a challenge to develop next-generation lunar rover wheels, crucial for advancing surface mobility as the agency prepares to establish a Moon Base. The 'Rock and Roll with NASA Challenge' invited public innovators to design and build lightweight, durable, and scalable wheels capable of supporting longer-duration lunar surface operations. Five teams, selected from 128 submissions across 49 countries, tested their prototypes on July 31 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The designs needed to absorb impacts, maintain traction at higher speeds, and withstand the harsh lunar environment. The wheels were fitted to MicroChariot, a 45-kilogram test rover, and evaluated across various terrains at Johnson's Rock Yard. The winning concept, 'Scotch Pad Tyres,' developed by Daniel and Isaac Bloomfield, features a Nomex-based tire structure with an aluminum hub, designed to deform around terrain while maintaining shape with internal support and improved traction from an epoxy and corundum grit ... 
