Bridgestone unveiled new tires for lunar rovers

Bridgestone has been developing tires for lunar rovers since 2019, when a collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was announced, and at the 40th Space Symposium — the largest event of its kind in the US — the company will showcase two new airless concept tires of the second generation, which have been refined compared to the prototype presented last year, with the aim of reducing weight, making them more suitable for small and medium-sized vehicles. 

The lunar tire development project is part of Bridgestone's program aimed at developing technologies that are planned to be used to improve airless tires AirFree, designed for operation on Earth and previously already tested on public roads. 

Bridgestone emphasizes that for over 90 years, they have been developing tires for all types of mobility used on Earth, and now they are using their technologies to contribute to the development of lunar transportation. In 2024, Bridgestone's partner became the American company Astrobotic Technology, a leading developer of technologies for space exploration, and in the future, the tire manufacturer intends to continue designing new tires that can be adapted to the requirements of a specific customer or mission. 

The Space Symposium will be held on April 7-10 in Colorado Springs (USA), and Bridgestone will also participate in a discussion on space exploration along with Toyota, Idemitsu Kosan, and the Space Foundation, the symposium organizer.