Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 55
APPLICATION
BRIEFS
Airless Alloy Tire Has NASA Roots
The SMART Tire Company
Los Angeles, CA
www.smarttirecompany.com
S
hape memory alloy (SMA) tires will empower the
next generation of Mars rovers and other extraterrestrial
vehicles to carry heavier loads over longer distances.
Since the original Apollo missions, aluminum
and steel tires have taken a beating from the terrain.
Starting in 2026 with the Fetch rover using advanced
materials like SMA, tire problems will be a thing of the
past on NASA missions.
The SuperElastic Tire was originally developed by
NASA for Moon and Mars Rover missions. Past rovers
used thin aluminum tires that eventually developed
cracks and holes due to the tough Mars terrain. While
the Perseverance Mars rover's aluminum tires are a bit
stronger than previous rovers, future tires made from
shape memory alloys will enable larger, longer lasting
rovers that will no longer need six wheels, but only
four.
The SuperElastic Tire - a NASA Glenn innovation
- comprises a non-pneumatic, compliant tire utilizing
SMAs (mainly NiTinol and derivatives) as load-bearing
components. These SMAs are capable of undergoing
phase transitions at the molecular level with significant
reversible strain (an order of magnitude more than
ordinary materials) before undergoing permanent
deformation. Commonly used elastic-plastic materials,
such as spring steels and composites, can only be subjected
to strains on the order of ~0.3 to 0.5% before suffering
plastic deformation.
The utilization of shape memory alloys provides
enhanced control over the effective stiffness as a function
of the deformation, providing increased design versatility.
The tire can be made to soften with increased
deflection, reducing the amount of energy transferred
to the vehicle during high-deformation events. In addition,
the use of SMAs in the form of radial stiffeners, as
opposed to springs, provides even more load-carrying
potential and improved design flexibility.
The SMART Tire Company is developing the first consumer
application of NASA's SMA tire technology.
Shape Memory Alloy Radial Technology (SMART)
superelastic tires are airless, durable, and will never go
flat. The tire is made from NiTinol+, a shape memory
alloy that's elastic like rubber, yet strong like titanium.
This SMART Tire was born out of the extreme challenges
NASA faces on Mars, where there are no roads,
temperatures can reach -200 C, and tire performance is
mission-critical. The SMART Tire has a patented loadbearing
design that takes advantage of the unique properties
of SMAs. These special metals can expand, contract,
bend, or unbend at a very rapid rate (like rubber)
Tech Briefs, June 2021
Cov
www.techbriefs.com
ToC
55
http://info.hotims.com/79414-116
http://www.techbriefs.com
http://www.abpi.net/ntbpdfclicks/l.php?202106TBNAV
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Intro
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Sponsor
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Band1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Band2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 3
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 4
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 5
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 6
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 7
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 8
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 9
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 10
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 11
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 12
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 13
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 14
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 15
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 16
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 17
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 18
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 19
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 20
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 21
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 22
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 23
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 24
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 25
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 26
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 27
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 28
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 29
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 30
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 31
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 32
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 33
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 34
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 35
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 36
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 37
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 38
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 39
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 40
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 41
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 42
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 43
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 44
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 45
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 46
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 47
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 48
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 49
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 50
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 51
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 52
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 53
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 54
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 55
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 56
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 57
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 58
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 59
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 60
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 61
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 62
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 63
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - 64
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - Cov4
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-3
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-4
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-5
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-6
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-7
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-8
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-9
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-10
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-11
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-12
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-13
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-14
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-15
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-16
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-17
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-18
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-19
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-20
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-21
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-22
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-23
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-24
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - MD-Cov4
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-1
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-2
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-3
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-4
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-5
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-6
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-7
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-8
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-9
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-10
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-11
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-12
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-13
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-14
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-15
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-16
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-17
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-18
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-19
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-20
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-21
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-22
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-23
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-24
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-25
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-26
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-27
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-28
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-29
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-30
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-31
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-32
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-33
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-34
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-35
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-36
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-37
Tech Briefs Magazine - June 2021 - ST-Cov4
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB02
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB05
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB02
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/Testing/22TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB05-P
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB05-D
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB02
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB05
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21BT03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB02
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com