How are the space shuttle tires prevented from blowing up in the vac. of space?

Question

Is the wheel well compartment they are held in pressurized? Are they inflated pryor to landing?

Answer 1

The pressure in an aircraft tire is typically in the range of 180 to 250 psi depending on model and the CBR (California Bearing Ratio) of the intended runway. The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7 psi.
So, if those tires were put in space, they would feel pressure of 195 to 265 psi, about 6 to 8% change. Nothing to worry about, the pressure gets much higher only from the heat of the braking when back on the ground. And it is cold in space with the wheels inside in the shadow of the landing gear bay, so the pressure gets actually lower in space.

Answer 2

Space Shuttle Tires

Answer 3

atmospheric pressure ground level on Earth is just one atmosphere. This is not that much, at 14.7 psi, and standard car tyres will typically have 2 to 3 times that, and standard bike tyres will go up to 6 or 7 times that.

in the vacuum of space you have no air obviously, so a tyre that withstood say a net force of 2 atmospheres (say 3 atmos inside the tyre, less 1 from the air), will now have to withstand a net force of 3 atmosphere.

this is no big deal at all. So there is no need to take that much care of the shuttle's tyres - apart from protecting them in key phases.

hope this helps

Answer 4

They are just tires. There is nothing special about the vacuum of space. At sea level, the pressure in the tires are pushing OUT against 14 pounds of air pressure. In space, they are pushing out against 0 pounds of air pressure. So the rubber just needs to be able to handle the extra outwards pressure with no inwards pressure. No big deal.

Answer 5

The tires of space shuttle are not solid rubber,nor pure rubber.
They are reinforced steel wire composite rubbers.Strong enough for 14.7 extra psi, for sure.

Answer 6

the tires are solid rubber like on a kids wagon