Named after comedian Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” the new treadmill, first and foremost, is a critical countermeasure device that will be used to keep the international crew healthy.
Quantum’s treadmill provides reliable motor control and reliability.
Chanhassen, MN - Quantum Controls’ Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) is being transported to the International Space Station. The actual treadmill for COLBERT was purchased from Woodway USA, Waukesha, WI. Quantum is the exclusive supplier to Woodway USA for the system controlling the dynamics of the treadmill.
Quantum Controls, Inc. was chosen by Woodway for its ability to provide reliable motor control and to meet the demands of varying loads on a treadmill. The unique design uses Brushless DC motor technology and eliminates the typical flywheel used on treadmills, dramatically increasing efficiency. By working with Woodway, Wyle Laboratories and NASA, Quantum has successfully met all expectations of the control and the required certifications for space travel.
Named after comedian Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” the new treadmill, first and foremost, is a critical countermeasure device that will be used to keep the international crew healthy while in orbit and prepare them for return to Earth.
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The main reason NASA chose the COLBERT treadmill was to simplify the system, making it easier and less costly to maintain. The simpler design also is expected to result in higher reliability, making the new treadmill consistently available to the crew, which must work out daily to counteract the loss of bone and muscle density that is a side effect of long-duration stays in orbit. If all goes as expected, the COLBERT will have a five-year service life.
“The main purpose of the treadmill, of course, is to work out those walking and running muscles that would otherwise go unused up here,” wrote Astronaut Ed Lu in one of his Expedition 7 journals in 2003.
“To get a good aerobic workout, I walk for a mile, then run a couple of sets of half a mile each, then walk for a while longer. The pounding from the running may be helpful for preventing bone loss in the hips and legs, although the astronauts who flew on the MIR Space Station ran on the treadmill there and still suffered significant bone loss.”
For more information visit www.quantum-controls.com