The tests could reveal how soon after landing on the moon or Mars astronauts can carry out critical tasks.
"We’ve never assessed astronauts doing this particular task at this particular time before," Norcross said."In the preflight test, an astronaut can stand up, climb the ladder and walk easily. A couple of minutes and they’re done with this whole task.
The second task involves walking on a simulated planetary surface while wearing a spacesuit and performing several challenges. The astronauts will don the suit using NASA's Active Response Gravity Offload System — a machine that hoists the suit and pressurizes, enabling the experience of reduced gravity.
"It’s been part of astronaut training for decades to look at crewmembers' ability to egress — remove themselves from a space vehicle in some emergency contingency," said Pawelczyk, who flew on NASA's STS-90"The task now when we move into planetary exploration is, we will have to exit this vehicle without assistance. And we’ll have to do it in a gravitational field that is different than our own.
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