Playing Sports on the Moon!

Dec 27, 2006

The world of space tourism has begun. A couple of multi-millionaires have already taken vacations to the international space station and back and it's likely more space tourists won't be far behind. Some day you could be spending your summer vacation at a space hotel overlooking the Earth. So, what would it be like if you spent a day playing your fave sport on the Moon?

Sports Science - Basketball On The Moon

Gravity on the Moon is one sixth of what it is on Earth. That means to play basketball on the Moon, you'd need a hoop that's 60 feet (20 meters) high. You'd also need to move the three-point line about 100 feet back.

Sports Science - Tennis On The Moon

Even the great players like Venus Williams or Andy Roddick couldn't handle a game of tennis on a moon rock court. Lunar gravity would mean the ball would get smoked out of the court every time someone served!

Sports Science - Baseball On The Moon

Guys like Albert Pujols and A-Rod would be cranking balls way further than the average home run at Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. A ball hit 385 feet (130 meters) on Earth usually stays in the air for about five seconds. That same ball hit on the moon would go nearly 900 feet (300 meters) and stay in the air for more than 20 seconds. Some batters would be able to hit the ball, circle the bases, then watch from the dugout as the ball leaves the park!

Sports Science - Golf In Space

When Russian cosmonauts next take a trip into space, they plan to hit a golf ball from the International Space Station. A crew member will hit the ball with a specially designed golf club and it's expected the ball will orbit the Earth for four years before losing altitude and burning up in the atmosphere. Imagine if Tiger Woods was the guy teeing off?

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