Asked by: Theodore Barkas, Athens, Greece
The Apollo astronauts managed a walking speed of about 2.2km/h, which is around half of the typical speed on Earth. This is partly because the Moon’s lower gravity gives you much less traction on the ground, but the Apollo spacesuits were never really designed with long-distance hikes in mind.
A 2014 NASA study looked at the theoretical maximum walking speed on the Moon, finding that you could walk at 5km/h before you would need to break into a loping run. At this speed, you would travel the 10,900km circumference of the Moon in 91 days of non-stop walking.
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Authors
Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
