Tokyo (November 1, 2024) - Bridgestone Corporation today announced that the company has reached a collaboration agreement with Astrobotic Technology for joint development of a lunar rover tire.
Astrobotic's 24U CubeRover and tires developed by Bridgestone
Bridgestone developed a concept model of first- and second-generation tires utilizing its knowledge cultivated for over 90 years of its tire development history, and conducted validation experiments, such as driving tests and simulations. Drawing on its global expertise in supporting all types of mobility on Earth, Bridgestone is now extending its support to the evolution of space mobility, tackling the challenges of lunar exploration. The company's innovations, honed in extreme conditions such as motorsport, will play a key role in advancing mobility on the moon. Through this project, Bridgestone is committed to being essential for the future of mobility by taking on the challenges of the Moon's extreme and largely unexplored surface.
The Bridgestone lunar rover tire will be developed for the Astrobotic 24U CubeRover. Astrobotic has a legacy of developing lunar rovers for over 17 years, which includes 37 rover technology contracts from NASA and 6 distinct lunar rovers to date. Astrobotic's 24U CubeRover is built to provide mobility, power, and communication support for scientific instruments and payloads on the lunar surface. This 24U rover is about the size of a standard kitchen stove and boasts robust capabilities such as explicit steering, dynamic suspension, and long-distance communications to excel in harsh lunar terrain.
The Bridgestone lunar rover tire applies skeletal structure of metal spokes and features an elastic structure that can deform when driving over obstacles, such as lunar rocks. This design aims to maximize shock absorption, traction, and to improve energy efficiency -- vital for extended missions. This elastic tire reduces stress on the rover's drivetrain and aids in smooth operation. In the near future, Astrobotic and Bridgestone will qualify the tires for the launch and thermal environments of space.
Concept model of Bridgestone lunar rover tire
The co-development of the Bridgestone lunar rover tire with Astrobotic is core to the Bridgestone philosophy of collaboration and co-creation with its business partners. By demonstrating Bridgestone's challenge and pursuit of excellence to its partners, the company is fostering empathy and trust and conducting activities to expand its network in the space industry and co-creation opportunities with international partners. This collaboration with Astrobotic, a leader in space exploration and technology development, marks another step in Bridgestone's efforts to create new opportunities for co-creation with international partners.
Through empowering space mobility by the lunar rover tire development, Bridgestone strives to achieve the corporate commitment of "Extension: Committed to nonstop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead" described in its "Bridgestone E8 Commitment."*1
For more information on Bridgestone lunar rover tires, please refer to the company's corporate website.
About the Astrobotic, please refer to its website.
- The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the "Bridgestone E8 Commitment," to help it realize its vision: "Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company." This commitment will serve as the Group's axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The "Bridgestone E8 Commitment" consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter "E" (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.
About Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone is a global leader in tires and rubber building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company employs approximately 130,000 people globally and conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
About Astrobotic:
Astrobotic is an innovative aerospace company at the forefront of advancing space exploration and technology development. The company’s expertise spans a wide range of advanced technologies, including lunar landers and rovers, lunar surface infrastructure, suborbital rockets, and enabling technologies. To date, Astrobotic has been contracted for two lunar lander missions, and has won more than 60 NASA, DoD, and commercial technology contracts, collectively worth more than $600 million.
Astrobotic recently launched the first American commercial spacecraft to operate in cislunar space and the first mission for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Our next CLPS mission, Griffin Mission 1, is scheduled to launch our larger Griffin-class lander to the lunar south pole in 2025. We are also manifesting payloads for our third mission, Griffin Mission 2, which is planned for launch in 2026.
www.astrobotic.com