Goodyear Tires to Return to the Moon

Tires from Goodyear first left their mark on the lunar surface during the Apollo mission in 1971, and now the company is partnering with the Artemis program of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and developing tires for the Pegasus lunar rover, which is expected to be used during the astronaut landing on the Earth's satellite in 2028.

According to the company, Pegasus will "allow astronauts to travel further, work longer, and open up new opportunities for scientific research in one of the most challenging environments known to humans". In turn, the tires are designed to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations and work efficiently on rocky surfaces and at low gravity, which will allow "astronauts to move safely and confidently on the Moon".

"From speed records on land to landing on the Moon and pushing the limits of what's possible on the toughest racing tracks in the world - Goodyear innovations have been providing people with mobility for over 125 years," said Chris Helsel, senior vice president and chief technical officer of the tire company.

The lunar rover is being developed by the private company Lunar Post in partnership with Goodyear, General Motors, and Leidos, combining expertise from the automotive, aerospace, and IT industries, which should help "make the next step in human space exploration a reality".

Image: GM