The area of the lunar south pole is rugged, and it can reach excessive temperature. Credit: Michael Karr/Flickr, CC by-NC
With NASA’s Artemis program, the Moon will not only have a walk in the US return park. Instead it will be a dangerous journey to a lunar location that represents one of the most extreme atmosphere in the solar system.
Artemis program for astronauts, walking on the moon will require new methods, latest techniques and innovative approaches to improve boot and spacesuit design.
The visit to the Apollo program for the moon 50 years ago was in the best, equatorial regions of all lunar surfaces, where the best temperatures reached -9 ° F (-23 ° C).
In contrast, the Artemis mission is designed to take astronauts in the extreme polar regions of the moon, where the temperature can reach -369 ° F (-223 ° C). Apollo-era equipment designed for short-term migration in a medium region will not be sufficient for this new, more hostile area extended migration.
At the University of North Dakota, we focus on Biomacionics, The Study of Human Movement. Our research examines the effects of extreme environment on human movement patterns and moves, and our laboratory research that we hope that one day will help astronauts to detect the moon while protecting their body.
New shoes for moon
Among all the devices astronauts need to detect the moon, one of the most important pieces is shoes they will use for extremely activity – when they step out of their spacecraft and bounce the lunar landscape . These shoes will have to catch unique hard environmental conditions for the lunar south pole.
Since the lunar pole is much colder than other lunar areas, the shoes will need to maintain heat effectively. The current recurrence of the lunar boot uses a rigid thermal plate, usually integrated into the sole of the boot. The plate is solid and does not bend or flex. These plates were not used during earlier Apollo missions.
While it is necessary to keep the legs of astronauts warm, in addition to the boot it prevents footwear from flexing. The rigid sole restraces the natural movement of the leg, especially in large toe combined, called metatarsophalangeal, or MTP, joint. The MTP joint bends and facilitates running normal walking and running patterns.
Windmill system
As soon as you walk, the MTP joint allows your large toe to pursue. The expansion of the large toe triggers a mechanism in the foot that converts the flexible landing leg into a pushed foot when you are going to move forward to the step. This mechanism allows the leg to become rigid and supports your body weight through your step. Kinesiologists This mechanism is called the windlass mechanism.
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The Windlas mechanism has not been well studied – especially under lunar gravity. If this mechanism is important to rotate on the moon, it may be a problem that shoes prevent an astronaut’s legs from bending.
There are one million small details that are right for a moon mission to succeed – how much flex is in the sole of the use of boots explorers, it is just one that can eventually affect their health on the moon.
While an astronaut should be cured on short -term – days or weeks – once the astronauts are living on the moon for months, they can develop a leg injury that can affect other parts of the body.
Kinesiologists prefer to check the human body as a kinetic chain. This is to say, if you hurt your lower body part, your upper body takes the weight of many of its functions. An issue that begins in the leg can affect a person’s way of walking and standing, causing more injury to the kinetic chain through the compensatory mechanism.
Therefore, the kinetic chain explains how the lower body may suffer injury, causing chronic injuries to many other joints.
As NASA works on sending astronauts back to the moon, researchers will need to know more about the lunar gat to understand how the lunar reacts while walking under gravity. What they learn will help the designers as they continue the right spacesuit design.
Jesse Rhodes is an associate professor of education, heath and behavior at North Dakota University. Rebecca Rhodes is a researcher in education, health and behavior at the University of North Dakota. Jesse Rhodes receives funding from NASA. Rebecca Rhodes does not work for funding from any company or organization, consult or receive funding from any company or organization, which will benefit from this article, and no relevant affiliation beyond their educational appointment Has done
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