NASA Created An Airless Chainmail Tire That Transforms Shape

Stretch a slinky toy too far, and eventually the metal coil will be warped so much it won’t be able to return to its original spring shape. That’s a problem also faced by the metal spring tires designed to roll across our Moon, and other planets our rovers are exploring. Hopefully NASA has created an alternative tire, made from titanium, that can tackle any terrain and always return to its original tire shape!Show more

NASA "reinvented" the wheel with this incredible airless chainmail tire intended to withstand the harsh terrains of a "Martian or lunar environment." This tire is capable of returning to its original shape after deforming all the way down to the axle.

NASA Glenn Research Center has just reinvented the wheel, introducing a new tire that can get back to its original shape after having undergone deformation. This invention was perfected thanks to a shape memory alloy based on nickel-titanium.

Nasa will use these shape shifting chainmail tires on future rovers to survive the punishing terrains on alien planets. Regardless of how many rocks it rolls over, this super elastic tire will return to its previous shape like nothing happened. Originally created for future Mars missions, NASA researchers believe that this technology has the potential to someday revolutionize earth tires.

Whether it's on Earth or on Mars, exploration of any terrain requires mobility which means good tires. In order to avoid flat tire during explorations of alien planets, Nasa has developed this chainmail tire. Its innovative design is made out of an alloy that remembers its original shape after it has rolled over something, removing the risk of dents. How neat!

Credit to 'NASA Glenn Research Center'.