| The spacesuits worn by Apollo astronauts such as Buzz Aldrin were designed to optimize life support, not mobility. Newly designed suits may allow future moonwalkers to move faster on the lunar surface. |
Astronauts may be able to walk on the moon faster than previously thought, a new study reports.
The findings could help scientists design better spacesuits that could aid astronauts' exploration of the moon, Mars or asteroids, the researchers added.
Movies of NASA's Apollo astronauts on the moon typically show them hopping instead of walking. However, contrary to popular belief, the astronauts employed this form of movement not because of low lunar gravity, but because spacesuits of the era were not designed for walking.