The fact that just twelve people have ever set foot on the moon is indeed astounding, but even more entertaining are their hilarious mishaps in the atmosphere of one-sixth gravity. But thanks to MIT researchers, those recognizable slow-motion bounces and comical falls may become a thing of the past.
It seems that MIT researchers aren’t happy just letting future generations chuckle at astronauts from the Apollo period the way we have. Their resolution? Robotic “SuperLimbs” that astronauts can wear and use to help themselves back up after falling.
Developed for industrial applications, these SuperLimbs would deploy from an astronaut’s backpack, essentially giving them a robotic helping hand to get upright. While this might sound like a good thing for safety, it does raise the question: will it take away from the entertainment value of lunar exploration?
The researchers themselves acknowledge the potential for a less giggle-worthy future. They point out that the bulky spacesuits and unfamiliar gravity make even the most skilled astronauts look clumsy. However, they also highlight the very real dangers of falling on the Moon, especially with the focus of future missions like Artemis being on construction and excavation.
So, the trade-off is clear: safety versus amusement. The good news is that SuperLimbs might offer more than just fall recovery. They could potentially improve productivity by stabilizing astronauts and reducing energy expenditure, allowing for longer moonwalks. There’s even the intriguing possibility of “quadruped functions” – imagine a lunar centaur! That might just bring some of the fun factor back.
Only time will tell if SuperLimbs become standard equipment, but one thing’s for sure: the future of lunar exploration is about to get a whole lot less wobbly. Whether that’s a good thing for fans of astronaut pratfalls remains to be seen.
