State Partnership Program

Video by Stacy Tennison

ERDC: Designing Wheels for the Moon

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

May 8, 2017 | 2:38

Early in the space program, NASA asked ERDC to conduct investigations to determine the best mobility characteristics of wheels for use on lunar rover vehicles (LRV). Using large quantities of dune sand from the Arizona desert and crushed basalt from the Napa Valley, ERDC was able to simulate the soil conditions on the moon’s surface. ERDC successfully tested and recommended Boeing-General Motors’ wheel design that consisted of woven zinc-coated music wire, with titanium chevrons riveted to the wire mesh for enhanced traction on the moon’s surface. Apollo 15 landed on the moon with the first operational LRV. ERDC’s recommended solution ensured the successful performance of the LRV and provided a geological bonanza for scientists back on Earth. ERDC - Innovative Solutions for a Safer, Better World - Contact Us: ERDCinfo@usace.army.mil