Lunar rover tire collaboration aims for deployment by 2029

ispace, inc. has signed an agreement with Bridgestone Corporation to jointly develop and evaluate tires for future small and medium-sized lunar rovers. The initiative aims to accelerate practical deployment of these tires for surface missions by the end of this decade.

Under the agreement, Bridgestone's soft, elastic tires - engineered with thin metal spokes for both durability and flexibility - will be installed on ispace's prototype lunar rovers. These rovers are currently in development and are designed to perform high-resolution video capture and data collection for surface exploration and water resource utilization.

The testing phase will involve ground-based evaluations to validate tire performance in simulated lunar environments. Results will inform plans for potential technical demonstrations on the Moon, with both companies aiming to apply the technology in real missions as early as 2029.

"This agreement to test and verify technology for future lunar missions is proof of [our goal to establish] a new economy on the Moon," said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and CEO of ispace. "These tires will undoubtedly contribute to future human advancement there."

Masaki Ota of Bridgestone added, "We are very honored to start collaborating with ispace, who shares our vision... Through collaboration with ispace... we aim to establish the superiority of our lunar rover tire technology."

The project also aligns with Japan's broader space ambitions, and both firms are considering potential support from JAXA's Space Strategy Fund as part of their long-term roadmap.

Bridgestone's Lunar Rover Tire Supporting the movement of lunar mobility with safety and peace of mind, enabling humankind to pursue the moon. Read more here.