Need a Moment of Levity? Try Watching Videos of Astronauts Falling on the Moon
NASA’s outtakes of Apollo astronauts tripping and stumbling as they bounce in slow motion are delightfully relatable.
Innovating for Safety
For MIT engineers, the lunar bloopers also highlight an opportunity to innovate.
“Astronauts are physically very capable, but they can struggle on the moon, where gravity is one-sixth that of Earth’s but their inertia is still the same. Furthermore, wearing a spacesuit is a significant burden and can constrict their movements,” says Harry Asada, professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. “We want to provide a safe way for astronauts to get back on their feet if they fall.”
Designing SuperLimbs
Asada and his colleagues are designing a pair of wearable robotic limbs that can physically support an astronaut and lift them back on their feet after a fall. The system, which the researchers have dubbed Supernumerary Robotic Limbs or “SuperLimbs” is designed to extend from a backpack, which would also carry the astronaut’s life support system, along with the controller and motors to power the limbs.
Testing the Design
The researchers have built a physical prototype, as well as a control system to direct the limbs, based on feedback from the astronaut using it. The team tested a preliminary version on healthy subjects who also volunteered to wear a constrictive garment similar to an astronaut’s spacesuit. When the volunteers attempted to get up from a sitting or lying position, they did so with less effort when assisted by SuperLimbs, compared to when they had to recover on their own.
Applying the Design
The MIT team envisions that SuperLimbs can physically assist astronauts after a fall and, in the process, help them conserve their energy for other essential tasks. The design could prove especially useful in the coming years, with the launch of NASA’s Artemis mission, which plans to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in over 50 years.
Conclusion
The SuperLimbs design is the latest application of a technology that has been in development for over a decade. The team’s goal is to provide a safe and efficient way for astronauts to recover from falls on the moon and other planets. With the Artemis mission on the horizon, the need for this technology is more pressing than ever.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of SuperLimbs?
A: SuperLimbs is a wearable robotic system designed to assist astronauts in recovering from falls on the moon and other planets.
Q: How does SuperLimbs work?
A: SuperLimbs uses a control system to direct two multijointed robotic arms that extend from a backpack. The arms physically support the astronaut and lift them back on their feet after a fall.
Q: Why is SuperLimbs necessary?
A: Wearing a spacesuit can be a physical burden, and astronauts may struggle to recover from falls on the moon or other planets. SuperLimbs is designed to ease this burden and help astronauts conserve their energy for other essential tasks.
Q: When will SuperLimbs be ready for use?
A: The team plans to test the full SuperLimbs system at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory this summer. The goal is to pair the limbs with astronaut suits and test them in low-gravity simulators, with the hope of someday assisting astronauts on future missions to the moon and Mars.
