The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is testing components in space as part of a project launching this month to the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory.
With an expected launch on July 21, the SpaceX CRS-18 will head to the ISS with a Goodyear experiment onboard. In the microgravity environment of the space station, Goodyear will study the formation of silica particles, a common material used in consumer tires. By gathering knowledge from this evaluation, Goodyear engineers and scientists can determine if unique forms of precipitated silica might be considered in tires to enhance performance.
Goodyear’s in-space evaluation is being conducted through an agreement with the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, which works in a cooperative agreement with NASA to fully utilize the orbiting laboratory with innovative science and technology demonstrations capable of benefitting life on Earth.
Astronauts aboard the ISS will conduct the Goodyear-prepared silica experiment while Goodyear scientists will simultaneously carry out the same experiment in the company’s labs, allowing a comparison when the space research results – frozen for the journey back to Earth – are studied later.
To learn more about the on-orbit capabilities of the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, including past research initiatives and available facilities, visit www.spacestationresearch.com.
