NASA's Superelastic Tyre Uses Chainmail Tech To Help Rovers Roam On Planets

However, while Curiosity has been a hit for scientists and space nerds everywhere, the little rover's tyres have been battered and bruised by the brutal Martian terrain. This presented NASA a problem for its future missions.

To combat the sharp and tyre breaking terrain, the American space agency decided to look to the past, specifically a form of armour called mail or chainmail, that was first seen almost two millenniums ago, and became a defining safety feature for rich knights of the middle ages in Europe.

NASA's new 'Superelastic' tyres are based on the principle of chainmail armour and can withstand more deformation than any other non-pneumatic tyre.

According to NASA, the Superelastic tyre uses ‘shape memory alloys capable of undergoing high strain as load bearing components, instead of typical elastic materials, results in a tyre that can withstand excessive deformation without permanent damage. Using shape memory alloy as radial stiffening elements can also increase the load carrying capacity of the tyre.'

The Superelastic tyre is made from nickel-titanium alloys which can deform up to 10 percent without losing their overall shape. NASA also claims that the new tyre offers traction equal or superior to conventional tyres and eliminates the possibility of punctures. The Superelastic tyre is also lighter than conventional units as its design eliminates the need for an inner frame.

DriveSpark Thinks!

NASA's usage of old-school chainmail armour tech to radically change tyres is is something Curiosity's successors will appreciate considering how badly the little rover struggled over the Martian terrain.

The fact that these tyres can be used here on earth and don't have any puncture issues means that we can't wait to get out hands on them as soon as they arrive. Unfortunately, we really don't know when that will happen.