When the Space Shuttle lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in 1981, it was the first reusable spacecraft. The massive orange external fuel tank was the major component designed to be destroyed on every flight. However, parts of the Shuttle orbiter had to be swapped out before the spacecraft could safely venture back to orbit. The four tires mounted to the orbiter’s main landing gear had to be replaced after every flight because of the immense forces during touchdown.
Landing the Space Shuttle was highly demanding of both the pilot and the shuttle itself. After entering the atmosphere, the Space Shuttle glided to the runway. The astronaut at the controls had only one shot to land because the spacecraft was flying unpowered. In ideal conditions, the Shuttle would touch down at speeds approaching 250 miles per hour on a 2.84-mile runway specifically built for it in Florida at KSC. For comparison, Concorde landed at 187 mph. According to NASA, a main landing gear tire can carry three times the load of a tire used on the Boeing 747. With the main landing gear taking the brunt of the landing, the nose gear’s two tires actually had a two-flight lifespan.
Michelin’s Space Shuttle tires designed to survive
The Space Shuttle’s 205-pound bias ply tires were produced by Michelin’s aviation division. Engineers had to design tires that could survive the frigid void of space, then endure temperatures up to 140 degrees before reaching the runway. The tires were filled with nitrogen to a pressure of 340 pounds per square inch to remain stable while being ready for the harsh landing load. To illustrate the difference in toughness, Michelin Pilot Sport tires are 4-ply rated and the Shuttle’s main landing gear tires are 34-ply rated.
The Space Shuttle has been retired since 2011, but it’s still a coveted piece of technology. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn attempted to steal the Space Shuttle Discovery through a congressional bill earlier this year. The legislators then snuck a $85 million budget allocation into President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” to move the spacecraft back to their home state of Texas. However, NASA handed ownership of Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum in 2011. The Smithsonian is independent of the federal government, with Congress unable to seize its property unilaterally.
