[Human walk in spacesuit as a self-oscillating process]

A series of 40 biomechanic and physiological tests of semi-rigid and flexible spacesuits as possible candidates for Moon explorations purposes were conducted with involvement of 20 volunteered subjects. Ability to walk in the spacesuits with the internal positive pressure of 0.4 kg/cm2 in the normal gravity was assessed simultaneously with energy expenditure for moving over preset distances. Also, mating of the leg movements with the spacesuit shell was investigated The longest distance test elicited the fact of acquisition of stable motor skills in the unusual circumstances. The acquired motor skills bring about restructuring of step kinematics and make equal knee flexures during leg transfer and stepping on platform (matching the angular movement of the spacesuit knee joint) to an accuracy of tenths of degree. This phenomenon is used by the authors as the ground for proposing a reasoned optimization of the walk pattern in spacesuits as a self-oscillating process.