Current view on rubber development for Mars
by Rafal Anyszka, University of Twente and University of Akron; Anke Blume and Wisut Kaewsakul, University of Twente; Li Jia, University of Akron; and Magdalena Maciejewska, Lodz University of Technology
Imagine a Mars rover of truck sized proportions carrying a crew of astronauts and a significant amount of cargo. The weight of such a rover would surpass that of currently used rovers. Additionally, the rover’s speed must be much faster than the current maximum of 0.18 km/hour. Therefore, such a vehicle would require high performance elastic wheels and a damping system to ensure safety and minimize vibrations. When applications require both elastic and damping properties, the obvious material of choice is rubber. It seems inevitable to use high performance rubber elements in future crewed Mars missions. Besides this, rubber gaskets are needed for spacesuits and habitat sealing. Electric/flexible cables require elastic covers to provide insulation and protection.