Small step or giant leap? Human locomotion on Mars.
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 1 g, 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.
Hawkey
Adam
A
BUPA Wellness, Health Assessment Centre, London. hawkeya@bupa.com
D018480:Astronauts; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005684:Gait; D006112:Gravitation; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D008124:Locomotion; D018535:Mars; D012420:Running; D013026:Space Flight; D016138:Walking; D014893:Weightlessness; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation