posted 09-28-2008 09:52 PM
I can speak from experience about walking, running and loping in one sixth gravity without a bulky space suit.I was a subject in a NASA lunar gravity experiment flown aboard NASA's C-9 (a parabolic flight aircraft affectionately known as the Vomit Comet).
In this picture, I am walking on a treadmill at a speed of about 3 mph. The white balls affixed to various points on my body are for a motion capture system used to analyze the biomechanics of my gait.
Notice the digital displays near the ceiling of the cabin; they indicate the parabola number (4) and the g-level (0.162).
The following descriptions are drawn from my personal experience and do not necessarily represent the experiences of others or the conclusions of the study.
When walking, I felt as though I had to move deliberately, almost in slow motion to avoid launching myself off of the treadmill. I felt slightly unstable in the lateral plane, which may be a factor of the treadmill orientation within the aircraft, or may be a factor of decreased proprioceptive loading in my ankles. Another interesting note; I was surprised by my arms! They had a tendency to float up quite a bit higher than in normal gravity (you can see this in the picture above).
When running, I definitely felt as though I was moving in slow motion. When running in normal gravity, there is a short period of double float time when neither foot is actually on the ground. I felt as though double float time was increased in one sixth gravity. Again, I had to use care not to push off too hard or I would hit the ceiling.
When I was finished on the treadmill, I tried loping/kangaroo hopping and I found that it was much more natural and easy. I felt more stable and in control, especially when changing directions.
It is my opinion that astronauts will become quite adept at hopping from location to location within the Altair lander rather than walking.
If I can find a video clip, I'll send it along.
posted 09-27-2008 02:14 PM
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