18th IAA Humans in Space Symposium (2011)
2034.pdf
Whether landing on the moon and kicking up a plume of dust or bringing a helicopter down over desert
sands, the problem of spatial disorientation in the absence of reliable visual cues can be overwhelming.
The lunar descent problem differs from the helicopter brownout threat only in detail – in both cases
those details are the boulders and craters underneath – and yet the lunar horizon typically remains
visible. The general issue of misleading visual cues on the moon, whether for landing on a predetermined site or for proceeding with an exploration excursion on foot or in a rover, is filled with novel
challenges. On the atmosphere-free lunar surface hills appear closer and they seem steeper. The details
wash out, not only when looking into the sun but also when looking away from it. The vection stimulus
from blowing dust can overwhelm the vestibular senses regarding vehicle velocity and lead to
unanticipated roll-over on landing. All these issues may be exacerbated by the reduced gravity on the
moon. Ground experiments and plans for flight research will be discussed.
Supported by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute through NASA NCC9-58