Cosmic Impression Deep Science Column Issue 563 In NASA's JPL Laboratory, there is a laboratory called the Slope Laboratory, which is a place that specializes in studying the surface of extraterrestrial celestial bodies. NASA materials engineer Padua accepted the invitation to see what the Slope Lab is doing. After entering the lab, it was discovered that the spring tires being tested in the slope laboratory were being tested. So Padua asked them if there were any problems with deformation. After gaining recognition, Padua proposed a solution, which happened to be his field of expertise, so the shape memory alloy tire was born.
JPL lab scientists have never heard of the term ‘shape memory alloy’ before, but they know Padua is a materials science engineer, so since then, the JPL lab scientists have relied on his material expertise, especially in shape memory alloys, to interact with the tire making technology to develop this new tire that can travel on the surface of Mars. Scientists believe this will revolutionize the tire technology of planetary probes and may even make tires for industry on Earth. This is a small episode in JPL Laboratory's development of shape memory alloy tires. The key to the shape memory alloys is their atomic structure, which is combined in some way so that the material “remembers” its original shape and can return to its previous shape after being subjected to deformation. After the shape memory alloy tire was built, Glenn's engineers sent it to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and tested it in the Mars Life Test Facility.
Overall, these tires not only perform well in simulated Martian sand, but also withstand the wear of the rocks without any difficulty. Even after the tire's shaft is deformed, it can maintain its original shape. They can also do this after carrying, which is another prerequisite for developing tyres for exploring cars and roaming cars.
The first priority of the new Mars rover wheels (MST) is to provide greater durability, better traction on soft sand, and lighter weight. As NASA notes on the MST website (part of the Glenn Research Center website), there are three benefits to developing high-performance standard-compliant tires:
First, they will allow the rover to explore larger areas than is currently possible. Second, because they fit the terrain and do not sink like rigid wheels, they can carry heavier loads to achieve the same mass and volume.
Finally, because controllable tires can absorb energy from high-speed impacts, they can be used in manned roadfinders, which are expected to move at much higher speeds than the current Mars rover. Therefore, in the future Mars landing mission, this new tire technology will be widely used and becomes an essential technology for the Mars rover. Traveling a hundred kilometers is not a problem, but this technology is not used on Earth. The Impression of the Universe is exclusive to Toutiao, and the others are fake and reprinted are illegal.
