Bridgestone will provide tires for lunar rovers from Japanese startup

Bridgestone and ispace, a private Japanese company that develops robotic systems for lunar exploration, have signed a partnership agreement to jointly test tires for small and medium-sized lunar rovers for practical application on the Earth's satellite.

Bridgestone is currently collaborating with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop airless tires with a flexible structure that can change shape, increasing the mobility and durability of lunar rovers on uneven surfaces like the Moon. As part of the new project, the tires will be installed on ispace's lunar rover prototypes and tested on Earth, with plans to use them on the Moon.

It is reported that the partners intend to evaluate available technologies and business opportunities on the Moon. The plan is to start using the tires on the lunar surface by 2029, and the companies aim to develop their collaboration to contribute to the development of Japan's space industry, taking into account the use of the strategic fund created by JAXA to stimulate the development of technologies for space exploration in the private sector.

“ispace's goal of creating a new economy on the Moon requires the participation of players from various industries, and this agreement on testing and evaluating technologies for future lunar missions serves as proof of that,” said Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of ispace. “Bridgestone, with its experience and knowledge, has made a huge contribution to the development of mobility worldwide, and is now developing tires designed for the extreme conditions of the Moon. These developments will undoubtedly be extremely useful during human exploration of the Moon. At the same time, our micro-rovers, one of the smallest and most compact lunar rovers currently available, will be indispensable on the Moon and will open up new horizons for humanity”.

Bridgestone began developing tires for lunar exploration as part of its partnership with JAXA in 2019, and in April 2025, new lightweight prototypes for small and medium-sized lunar rovers were presented.

“Bridgestone's lunar rover tires have a structure of thin metal spokes that provides the necessary flexibility and deformability, but also strength,” noted Masaki Ota, director of the new mobility solutions division at Bridgestone. “This structure provides excellent mobility and shock absorption, allowing rovers to move on the lunar surface and overcome obstacles such as boulders. Thanks to these technical characteristics, the tires will enable ispace's rovers to operate in the harsh lunar environment”.