Mars Walking...

Imperial Stormtrooper Moonwalking

When the first people set foot on Mars, what will be the most efficient gait for them to use?

Since mass and horizontal inertia are the same as on Earth, but the force pulling down is much less, you don't need to take as many steps to get around.

The gravity on Mars is a little more than twice that of the moon's, so Norton's device is inclined at a less extreme angle. He's investigating how this affects speed and endurance and the transition speed from walking to running. So far, he found that it's easier to run and jump on the simulator than on the ground. "I think a long bounding stride will become the norm on Mars," says Norton.

New Scientist: Born to be Viral - How to Walk on Mars