NASA awarded for 108 years fresh idea.

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Nasa-Goodyear is recently awarded for the latest developments in their airless tyre, which incorporates 800 small springs, for vehicles designed to operate on the Moon and Mars. Some press reports suggested that the indestructible car tyre would soon be on its way. We wonder if a tyre company would want this, and also recalled that the idea is not new. First tried on bicycles: from around 1902 all manner of resilient wheels for cars became available – mostly with solid rubber tyres and sprung or cushioned spokes – and were optimistically advertised (click). Trials were held for them in Britain, and for these roues élastiques in France, yet by 1907 they were mostly gone, made redundant by the detachable wheel and the Stepney. A number of different types survive on cars in museums, but we think that the only vehicle so fitted that sees use these days is the 1903 Renault ‘Catherine’ (click) that is a regular Brighton Run participant.
By Leo J. McAllam

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