On May 18, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi shared a fascinating video on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, demonstrating posture control in a zero-gravity environment using only his legs. The post has since drawn major attention—not just from space enthusiasts but also from fans of Mobile Suit Gundam.

Onishi, who previously served as commander aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and participated in a long-duration mission, regularly posts about life in space. In the latest video, he explained:

“By applying the law of conservation of angular momentum, it’s possible to control your posture in mid-air without touching anything. This principle is the same as the reaction wheels used in satellites. Unlike thruster-based systems, this method enables posture control using only electric power, without consuming fuel.”

In the footage, Onishi moves and rotates his body using only leg motion, elegantly shifting his orientation in microgravity.

The demonstration caught the attention of Gundam fans, who immediately made the connection to the AMBAC system—short for Active Mass Balance Auto Control—a fictional technology in Mobile Suit Gundam that explains why humanoid robots are able to maneuver in space without thrusters by shifting their limbs.

Fans reacted with excitement:

“Is this AMBAC in real life?”

“He’s really doing AMBAC… Incredible.”

“So legs aren’t just for decoration after all. I’m moved!!!”

Source : ORICON NEWS