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Going back to the Moon after half a century, and then to Mars, literally means reinventing the wheel.

After all, Mars is a long way to come back if you get a flat.

“One thing you cannot have is a puncture,” says Florent Menegaux, chief executive of the French tyre-maker Michelin.

The tough conditions on Mars have been underlined by the experience of the unmanned Curiosity rover.

Just a year after landing in 2012, its six rigid aluminium tyres were visibly ripped through with punctures and tears.

As for the Moon, the US Artemis missions , perhaps by 2027.

Later Artemis missions plan to use a lunar rover to explore the Moon’s south pole starting with Artemis V, currently scheduled for 2030. …

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