Small Step or Giant Leap - Human Locomotion on Mars

From The Space Library

Jump to: navigation, search

Author - A. Hawkey

Co-Author(s) -

JBIS Volume # - 57

Page # - 262-270

Year - 2004

Keywords - Human locomotion, Mars, gravity, mechanics, energetics

JBIS Reference Code # - 2004.57.262

Number of Pages - 9

[edit] Abstract

Human locomotion on Mars will be considerably different from on Earth. Optimum walking speeds will be approximately 30% lower and transitioning from a walk to a run will occur at a speed 25% slower. Peak vertical forces will be reduced by as much as 50%, and although ground contact time will remain constant with locomotion in 1g, stride length and stride time will increase. During running on Mars airborne time will increase by approximately 80% in comparison to running on the Earth. On Mars, half as much energy will be required to travel the equivalent distance on Earth and it will be 65% more economical to run rather than to walk. Crews will, therefore, find themselves using a loping gait - a running-like action, with a slight upper body lean and an extended aerial phase, an unfamiliar gait in terrestrial locomotion.


To BUY this paper click here



JBIS is © 1934-2013 British Interplanetary Society -

Retrieved from "http://www.thespacelibrary.com/mediawiki/index.php/Small_Step_or_Giant_Leap_-_Human_Locomotion_on_Mars"