NASA needs your help reinventing wheels for Moon rovers
SMRTR summary
Wheels that can rock and roll on the Moon? That's the challenge NASA is posing to innovators worldwide. The space agency is seeking cutting-edge wheel and tire designs for its MicroChariot Rover, a small semi-autonomous vehicle destined for lunar exploration.
This fall, NASA and crowdsourcing platform HeroX will launch the "Rock and Roll with NASA Challenge," offering up to $150,000 in prizes. The competition aims to develop lightweight, flexible, and durable wheels capable of withstanding the Moon's harsh environment while traversing rugged terrain.
The challenge unfolds in three phases: ideation and design, prototyping, and demonstration, culminating in the summer of 2026. NASA hopes to uncover groundbreaking concepts that balance low mass, shock absorption, and longevity.
Winning designs may be tested on NASA's MicroChariot Ground Test Unit, a 100-pound Earth-bound rover that serves as a testbed for lunar mobility solutions. This initiative could pave the way for sustainable lunar operations and shape the future of space exploration.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Robot Report.
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