Tardigrade: The electric motorbike that astronauts could use in the Moon

NASA is preparing to return to the Moon in the near future. The aerospatial organization is working on a mission to go back to the Earth's satellite in 2024, and right now the responsible crew is trying to find a way regarding how can astronauts traverse on the lunar surface. Taking as reference the exploratory vehicles that travel around the Mars, the professionals got help from Hookie, a motor cycle company located in Dresde, Germany, and the company seems to have come up with an innovative vehicle designed to be used in Moon. It is called Tardigrade, inspired from the tardigrades, known also as water bears, microorganisms that are capable of surviving under toughest circumstances. The two wheeler vehicle model uses elements of laser-cut alluminium along with a Kevlar cover, to be able to protect the equipment of the bike from the radiation observed outside the Earth's athmosphere. Tires of the vehicle are printed in 3D and they are designed airless for them to get repaired or changed quickly and easily in the lunar surface. NASA is planning to return to the Moon with the Artemis mission, for the purpose of ensuring a permanent residence in the satellite, while the preparations regarding the Mars trips proceed at the same time. For this reason, the organization is also working with several private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to be able to develop different components that will make possible the adventure. In fact, not too long ago these two companies signed a deal worth of millions of dollars focusing on the construction of a lunar landing module, which sparked polemics at the time. Having these in mind, we will need to wait and see the results of these initiatives, which apparently will not take that long.