NASA Launches Lunar Rover Wheel Challenge to Revolutionize Moon Mobility
NASA is crowdsourcing innovation for the Artemis program's lunar terrain vehicle wheels through its 'Rock and Roll Challenge,' tackling extreme temperature swings, abrasive regolith, and low-gravity traction. The competition aims to develop wheels enabling unprecedented 15 mph speeds for sustained lunar exploration. Winning designs must overcome engineering hurdles that stymied Apollo-era rovers to support NASA's ambitious 2030 crewed mission timeline.