DOCSLIB.ORG

AQUEOUS CHANNELS. W. C. Stone1, R

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
AQUEOUS CHANNELS. W. C. Stone1, R Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI (2005) 2206.pdf THE DEPTHX PROJECT: PIONEERING TECHNOLOGIES FOR EXPLORATION OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL AQUEOUS CHANNELS. W. C. Stone1, R. Greenberg2, D. D. Durda3, E. A. Franke4, and the DEPTHX Team, 1StoneAeroSPACE,18912 Glendower Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20879, [email protected], 2Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, [email protected], 3Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut St., Boulder, CO 80302, [email protected], 4Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Cule- bra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78228, [email protected] Introduction: Liquid water is not unique to our including irregular vertical surfaces, an open water own planet, and the strategy of following the path to column, floor sediments, and potential hydrothermal extraterrestrial water is likely to produce great discov- vents. The site is the 330-meter-deep (or more) hy- eries, especially in the area of astrobiology. Reaching drothermal cenote of Zacatón, Mexico [6]. The upper liquid water will involve not just landing on a target reaches of Zacatón are known to contain diverse mi- planet, but penetrating below the surface with tech- crobial mats, but even those upper reaches are un- nologies that will permit exploration and characteriza- charted, both spatially and biologically. Thus they tion of the aqueous environment. For example, Eu- offer an extraordinary opportunity to test the principles ropa’s global ocean lies below many kilometers of ice. and hardware under development. In a later phase, In anticipation of missions to explore of Europa’s after the autonomous exploration system is fully tested, ocean, considerable planning and technology devel- the DEPTHX project will extend its terrestrial trials to opment has addressed the problem of drilling, melting, settings in the Antarctic ice, where conditions may or punching through the thick ice with a variety of pos- more closely approximate cracks or other openings in sible types of robotic penetrators [e.g. 1]. Similarly, Europa’s ice. Other potential settings for testing (and consideration has been given to submarines that might possible practical applications) may include unex- be launched into the subsurface ocean after the ice is plored sub-aqueous environments like Lake Vostok, penetrated [e.g. 2]. Considerable attention has been other deep geothermal springs like Grand prismatic paid to Antarctica’s Lake Vostok as an analog to Eu- Spring of Yellowstone, various marine environments, ropa, because of these common issues of penetration and artificially created inhospitable environments (e.g. through thick ice to a pristine aqueous environment. the Berkeley acid mine drainage pit, Butte, MT, or The most interesting aqueous environments may be nuclear reactor cooling ponds. within channels of liquid through solid strata, such as The autonomous character of this cave-exploring where Europa’s ocean may penetrate hot springs on its robot will avoid well-known problems with tethered floor [3] or tidal cracks in its surface ice [e.g. 4, 5]. vehicles, which are vulnerable to snags even in terres- Those settings may provide conditions uniquely hos- trial applications. On Europa, linkages through many pitable to extraterrestrial life. kilometers of ice and, for exploring the sea floor, tens Therefore, advanced technological planning re- of kilometers of ocean depth, would certainly make quires development of vehicles, of autonomous explo- tethers impractical from the control and communica- ration and navigation systems, and of in situ analysis tions standpoint. Moreover, the communications lag to tools for exploring such channels. The issues are quite Earth would make control impractical even if links different from those involved in drilling through solids could be maintained between the craft and the surface or moving through wide-open submarine spaces. of Europa. Thus, at the heart of the DEPTHX project Moreover, technology for exploring confined channels is the development of a fully autonomous underwater may allow exploitation of cracks in Europa’s ice to scientific vehicle. minimize the need for penetration of solid ice. It will The DEPTHX vehicle will map the spatial setting also be useful within the thick oceanic layer, as well as in three dimensions, using a 2-Pi-steradian sonar im- in exploring any hot springs or other channels into the aging system consisting of 56 discrete highly direc- sea floor. In fact, it is likely that only such an intelli- tional transducers. Additional proprioceptive sensors gent autonomous search system is likely to have suc- (inertial guidance, Doppler sonar, depth) provide input cess in a Europan setting. along with the sonar readings to a simultaneous local- As a first step in attacking this problem, the Deep ization and mapping algorithm, which will form the Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) project is de- primary basis for vehicle exploration and navigation. veloping a fully autonomous architecture for intelligent The environment along the vehicle’s trajectory will be in situ discrimination of microbiological organisms spatially characterized with an environmental moni- and biological sample collection. The technology is toring package that will sense and measure tempera- physically realizable, using off-the-shelf sensors and ture, pH, dissolved oxygen, redox potential, sulfides, state-of-the-art intelligent robotic strategies. nitrates, and turbidity. Most of these sensors are avail- The concept and prototypes will be tested in an un- able as a suitable commercial package, but the latter usual terrestrial analog that presents many of the likely three will need to be customized for operation in this morphologic regimes where life may exist on Europa, environment. The autonomous navigation system will Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI (2005) 2206.pdf analyze this information to determining the trajectory rescence from DNA attachment sites, allowing sophis- and activities going forward in time. Gradients will ticated characterization of the organisms in the sample. drive navigation toward sites of biological interest in In addition to the samples brought on board for in open water and on the walls of the channels. situ analysis, the DEPTHX vehicle will be able to col- At sites of potential interest, a macro imaging sys- lect and store samples for return and later laboratory tem will examine locations on the walls or other sur- study, including both samples from open water or from faces, as well as free floating materials or organisms. underwater surfaces. For the latter, a sample collection This imaging system will include a 5 megapixel color probe will extend from the vehicle to the cave wall, CCD camera with off-axis strobe lighting. Images will extracting material from the surface and also coring be captured and analyzed with on-board image proc- and sampling within the wall material. essing software to identify patterns, colors changes in Initial field testing of the several key subsystems color or texture, and other features that indicate the for this ambitious development effort is planned for presence of algae mats or other life. mid-2005 at Zacatón. In addition to challenging de- For in situ analysis of microorganisms, DEPTHX tector, sampling, and analysis systems, DEPTHX will will contain a custom designed flow cell and micro- be pushing the limits of autonomous robotics. The scopic imaging system to study what is drawn in. The adaptability and autonomy at the heart of this project microscope under development will include specific- will be potentially applicable in a wide range of set- wavelength LEDs for back illumination and a high- tings on Earth and in various other sites in the solar sensitivity CCD camera. Water will be pumped system. through the flow cell (maintaining the ambient pres- sure) and images captured and analyzed. Sequences of References: Hartman, C., et al. Forum on Innovative images will be analyzed by the autonomous on-board Approaches to Outer Planetary Exploration 2001-2020 system to identify selected shapes, structures and pat- (2001), Lunar and Planetary Inst.; [2] Committee on terns using machine-vision techniques. The image Planetary Exploration (1999) A Science Strategy for processing system will also have the capability to de- the Exploration of Europa, National Research Coun- tect relative motion and geometry of objects in the cil; [3] McCollom, T.M. (1999) JGR 104, 30729; [4] field of view. Greenberg, R., and Geissler, P. (2002) Meteoritics and Moreover, this internal imaging system will have Planetary Science 37, 1685; [5] Greenberg, R. (2005) the capability of introducing DAPI stain into the sam- Europa, the Ocean Moon, Springer-Praxis Publ.; [6] ple flow system and illuminating it with UV LEDs. In Gary, M. O. (2002), Karst Waters Institute Special this mode, the microscope will be able to detect fluo- Publication 7, 141..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Visionary Counting on Unmanned Vehicles
    Visionary Counting on Unmanned Vehicles By Rich Tuttle Bill Stone, the founder of Stone Aerospace, has a vision—several visions, in fact—and unmanned vehicles play a part in a number of them. His Austin, Texas-based company developed and built the DEPTHX robot that last May conducted the first comprehensive exploration of the world’s deepest sink hole, El Zacaton in Mexico. It brought back enough data to keep scientists enthralled for some time. An unmanned system based on DEPTHX (DEep Phreatic—meaning underwater cave—THermal eXplorer) will be tested in Antarctica beginning next year to help determine the suitability of such a device to meet, in about 20 years, what’s been called the ultimate robotic challenge: exploring the ice- covered ocean of Europa, a moon of Jupiter. Scientists believe there’s a high probability of detecting the first life off Earth in that remote and ancient sea. That's one vision. The challenges would fill a book: melting through many kilometers of ice just to get to the ocean, for instance. That will be addressed in the Antarctica experiments. But DEPTHX does seem to have demonstrated the possibility of clearing two other key hurdles—surviving in a three-dimensional, unexplored environment without external navigation aids; and carrying out science experiments autonomously. DEPTHX's abilities are two generations beyond those of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars right now, Stone says in an interview. Every move of the Mars vehicles is based on a carefully prepared script. But, Stone says, “in the case of Europa, it can’t be that way.” The computer brain of a Europa probe would have to be wired to achieve “global” objectives, he says.
    [Show full text]
  • Design and Deployment of a 3D Autonomous Subterranean Submarine Exploration Vehicle
    DESIGN AND DEPLOYMENT OF A 3D AUTONOMOUS SUBTERRANEAN SUBMARINE EXPLORATION VEHICLE William C. Stone, Stone Aerospace / PSC, Inc. 3511 Caldwell Lane, Del Valle, TX 78617, Ph: (512) 247-6385, [email protected] ABSTRACT likely include the following components: The NASA Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer • the parent spacecraft, which will remain in orbit (DEPTHX) project is developing a fully autonomous either about Jupiter or about Europa and which will underwater vehicle intended as a prototype of primarily serve as a data relay back to Earth from the the Europa lander third stage that will search for Lander. microbial life beneath the ice cap of that Jovian • the Lander, which will be a 3-stage device: moon. DEPTHX has two principal objectives: First, to develop and test in an appropriate environment Stage 1: the physical landing system that will contain the ability for an un-tethered robot to explore into propulsion systems, power, and data relay systems to unknown 3D territory, to make a map of what it sees, communicate with the orbiter, and which will control and to use that map to return home; and second, to and carry out the descent and automated landing on demonstrate that science autonomy behaviors can the moon. identify likely zones for the existence of microbial life, to command an autonomous maneuvering Stage 2: the “cryobot” second stage, which will melt platform to move to those locations, conduct localized a hole through up to ten kilometers of ice cap before searches, and to autonomously collect microbial reaching the sub-surface liquid ocean. Although the life in an aqueous environment.
    [Show full text]
  • Inventor Preps Robot to Cut Through Ice on Europa 22 April 2012, by Nancy Owano
    Inventor preps robot to cut through ice on Europa 22 April 2012, by Nancy Owano resolve obstacles in the way of studying what may lie beneath Europa's ice. A report in Wired says those obstacles include (1) solar power being unable to work below the surface (2) batteries not lasting long enough (3) too large a footprint of a device and (4) international treaty restrictions that would forbid testing of a nuclear robot. Stone has a 2013-2014 dress rehearsal planned. He intends to test a working cryobot at Alaska's Matanuska Glacier in June next year, where it will attempt to cut through ten to fifty meters of ice. Afterward the cryobot will try to get through 200 meters in Greenland, in fall 2014. Last year, Stone announced that NASA awarded Stone Aerospace four-year, $4M funding to Credit: Stone Aerospace continue development of the Valkyrie project, to design and field-test an autonomous ice penetrating cryobot. Stone, who has a doctorate in structural engineering, is no stranger to such (Phys.org) -- Robots are being developed all the ambitious undertakings. time to do what we wish and to go where we can't. This week, inventor Bill Stone told attendees at Generally, Stone is known for his inventions NASA's Astrobiology Science Conference in designed to enable humans to explore remote Atlanta that he intends to get an autonomous robot environments. He formed Texas-based Stone ready to visit the icebound sea of Jupiter's moon Aerospace to commercialize his systems for Europa, cut through the icy crust, and explore the exploration.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 WILLIAM C. STONE, Phd, PE CEO, Stone Aerospace / PSC, Inc. 3511
    M R OP R OP R R R OP M O POPOP R R R R .
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Administrator's Symposium
    NASA ADMINISTRATOR’S SYMPOSIUM Risk and Exploration EARTH, SEA AND THE STARS National Aeronautics and STEVEN J. DICK AND KEITH L. COWING, EDITORS Space Administration Office of External Relations NASA History Division NASA Headquarters Washington, DC 20546 NASA SP-2005-4701 NASA SP-2005-4701 Risk and Exploration EARTH, SEA AND THE STARS Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Risk and exploration: Earth, sea and the stars, NASA administrator’s symposium, September 26-29, 2004, Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California / Steven J. Dick and Keith L. Cowing, editors. p. cm. 1. Scientific expeditions—Congresses. 2. Underwater exploration—Congresses. 3. Outer space—Exploration—Congresses. 4. Technology—Risk assessment—Congresses. 5. Science—Moral and ethical aspects—Congresses. I. Dick, Steven J. II. Cowing, Keith L. Q115.R57 2005 910’.9--dc22 2005004470 Risk and Exploration EARTH, SEA AND THE STARS NASA Administrator’s Symposium September 26–29, 2004 Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California STEVEN J. DICK AND KEITH L. COWING, EDITORS National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of External Relations NASA History Division Washington, DC NASA SP-2005-4701 TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU WILL BE MORE DISAPPOINTED BY THE THINGS YOU DIDN’T DO THAN BY THE ONES THAT YOU DID DO. SO THROW OFF THE BOWLINES. SAIL AWAY FROM THE SAFE HARBOR. CATCH THE TRADE WINDS IN YOUR SAILS. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. Attributed to Mark Twain Contents Acknowledgments STEVEN J. DICK vii KEITH L. COWING Invitation Letter SEAN O’KEEFE ix Introduction SCOTT HUBBARD 1 The Vision for Exploration SEAN O’KEEFE 3 Race to the Moon JAMES LOVELL 11 Bold Endeavors: Lessons from JACK STUSTER 21 Polar and Space Exploration Discussion 35 SESSION ONE—EARTH Hunting Microbial Communities in DALE ANDERSEN 43 Dry Antarctic Valley Lakes High-Altitude Mountaineering ED VIESTURS 49 Exploring the Deep Underground PENELOPE J.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA's ASTEP Program
    NASA’s ASTEP Program Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets John D. Rummel, NASA HQ Astrobiology The study of life in the Universe, focusing on three fundamental questions: • How does life begin and evolve? • Does life exist elsewhere in the Universe? • What is the future for life on Earth and beyond? How did we get here? Where are we going? Are we alone? (or, Is there anybody else out there?) Knowledge of Space Knowledge of Earth Environments Organisms Astrobiology Today: A Golden Age in Studies of Other Worlds – • A revolution in our understanding of biology on Earth – New molecular tools – An appreciation of the extent of life in extreme environments (pH < 1; T ≥ 120C; TR ≤ -20C; ~All pressures) • Increased mission opportunities and capabilities — a much higher rate of data being returned – We are landing-on, roving around, and delving into other worlds – We are planning to return to the best of them! Outer Planets “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy” Hamlet, Act 1, Scene V Titan–Descent of the Huygens Probe, January, 2005 Astrobiology Program Overview Exobiology & Evolutionary Biology (1965) •~150 research tasks at US universities, research institutions, Federal labs, and NASA Centers. NASA Astrobiology Institute (1998) • Currently 16 Member-Institutions, plus NAI Central and international associates. ASTID (1988, 2001) • ~49 instrument-development tasks at US universities, research institutions, Federal labs, and NASA Centers. ASTEP (2001) • 8 science-driven field campaigns and/or advanced instrument projects based at US research institutions, universities, and NASA Centers. Learn to Explore Such Worlds..
    [Show full text]
  • Astrobiology | Newsfocus
    ASTROBIOLOGY | NEWSFOCUS water and other conditions that might be space program, Rummel is a respected have spoken out against raiding the science favorable to life elsewhere. At the same time, agency insider. At the same time, Pilcher, a budget to pay for those projects. And some astronomers using both space-based and longtime NASA headquarters official, took members of the overwhelmingly Democra- ground-based telescopes detected extrasolar over as the institute’s fourth director. And his tic California delegation—including Repre- planets with increasing frequency. boss is Simon P. “Pete” Worden (see following sentative Anna Eshoo (D–CA), who repre- However, none of these missions—most story), who has big plans for Ames. sents the area around Ames and is a close of which were well under way when the insti- Rummel and Pilcher confront a worried ally of new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tute was formed—include specific instru- batch of researchers as well as a shrinking (D–CA)—are aware and concerned about ments designed to test for life. That makes it pool of graduate students. “Plenty of people the fate of astrobiology. hard to judge NAI’s impact over the past are getting fed up with the lack of proposals In the meantime, scientists soldier on. decade. “What credit can the NAI take? I funded,” says Kevin Hand, a graduate student Thanks to an NSF grant, D’Hondt traveled to don’t have a good quantitative answer,” says at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Califor- the South Pacific last month to study deep-sea Bruce Jakosky, a planetary scientist at the nia.
    [Show full text]
  • ASTROBIOLOGY 7:00 P.M
    Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI (2005) sess50.pdf Tuesday, March 15, 2005 POSTER SESSION I: ASTROBIOLOGY 7:00 p.m. Fitness Center Archer D. Jr. Smith P. Searching for the Missing Martian Organics with the Mars Phoenix Scout Mission [#1598] Recent theories have called into question the conclusion that there are no surface organics on Mars. It is now believed that simple organics could be formed during the oxidative decay of more complex organics. The Phoenix lander has the ability to detect these molecules, if present. Mahaffy P. R. Brinckerhoff W. B. Buch A. Cabane M. Coll P. Demick J. Glavin D. P. Navarro-Gonzalez R. Measurement Protocols for In Situ Analysis of Organic Compounds at Mars and Comets [#2224] We explore in situ techniques for the determination of the abundance and chemical and isotopic composition of organic molecules in comets and those that might be found in protected environments at Mars as a first step toward understanding prebiotic chemistries on these solar system bodies. Skelley A. M. Scherer J. R. Aubrey A. D. Grover W. H. Ivester R. H. C. Ehrenfreund P. Grunthaner F. J. Bada J. L. Mathies R. A. Sensitive Amino Acid Composition and Chirality Analysis with the Mars Organic Analyzer (MOA) [#1109] The Mars Organic Analyzer (MOA) is a portable system for amino acid analysis that consists of a compact instrument and a novel multi-layer CE microchip. The MOA has been successfully field tested on representative soil samples. Glavin D. P. Aubrey A. Dworkin J. P. Botta O. Bada J. L. Amino Acids in the Antarctic Martian Meteorite MIL03346 [#1920] Investigations of the Antarctic martian meteorite MIL03346 using high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry revealed that trace levels of amino acids are present.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Mission Explores World's Deepest Sinkhole 14 May 2007
    NASA mission explores world's deepest sinkhole 14 May 2007 A NASA-funded expedition, including researchers underwater vehicles in its ability to navigate from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics untethered in complicated, sometimes closely Institute, will begin searching for the submerged confined underwater spaces. Much of the cenote is bottom of Mexico’s El Zacatón sinkhole with a pitch black so DEPTHX, using Carnegie Mellon robotic submarine the week of May 14. software to control its flight, relies on depth, velocity and inertial guidance sensors to estimate its Zacatón, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, is a position in well-mapped areas, and an array of 56 geothermal sinkhole, or cenote, that is more than sonar sensors to find its way in unmapped areas. 282 meters deep. Nobody has ever reached Software developed by Robotics Institute graduate bottom and at least one diver has died attempting student Nathaniel Fairfield uses the sonar to build to do so. Scientists want to learn more about its maps of the cenote. Project scientist George Kantor physical dimensions, the geothermal vents that and senior research programmer Dominic Jonak feed it and whatever life might exist at its various complete the Carnegie Mellon team. depths. In addition to Zacatón, DEPTHX will be used to The Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) explore two nearby cenotes, Caracol and Verde, mission will use a 2.5-meter-diameter submarine to during the team’s two-week expedition. map the cenote’s shape, obtain water samples and return core samples from the cenote walls. In The mission’s progress can be monitored at the the process, DEPTHX will test technologies and Robotics Institute’s DEPTHX Web methods that might be useful in other underwater site, www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/depthx , which will feature missions, including the long-term possibility of daily updates, images and graphics beginning May exploring the oceans hidden under the icy crust of 15.
    [Show full text]
  • Exo-Ocean Exploration with Deep-Sea Sensor and Platform
    Exo-Ocean Exploration with Deep-Sea Sensor and Platform Technologies J Aguzzi, M Flexas, S Flögel, C Lo Iacono, M Tangherlini, C Costa, S Marini, N Bahamon, S Martini, E Fanelli, et al. To cite this version: J Aguzzi, M Flexas, S Flögel, C Lo Iacono, M Tangherlini, et al.. Exo-Ocean Exploration with Deep- Sea Sensor and Platform Technologies. Astrobiology, Mary Ann Liebert, 2020, 20 (7), pp.897 - 915. 10.1089/ast.2019.2129. hal-03203246 HAL Id: hal-03203246 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03203246 Submitted on 20 Apr 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. AST-2019-2129-ver9-Aguzzi_1P.3d 02/29/20 4:48am Page 1 AST-2019-2129-ver9-Aguzzi_1P Type: review-article ASTROBIOLOGY Volume 20, Number 7, 2020 Review Article ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2129 Exo-Ocean Exploration with Deep-Sea Sensor and Platform Technologies J. Aguzzi,1,2 M.M. Flexas,3 S. Flo¨gel,4 C. Lo Iacono,1,5 M. Tangherlini,2 C. Costa,6 S. Marini,7 N. Bahamon,1 S. Martini,8 E. Fanelli,2,9 R.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring the Icy Ocean World Europa
    Exploring the Icy Ocean World Europa Krista M. Soderlund 19 August 2020 Outline 1) Introduction to Icy Ocean Worlds • Follow the water to subsurface oceans in the outer solar system 2) Europa - potential abode for life • What do we know (and don’t know) • Implications for habitability 3) Europa Clipper • Flagship-class mission to explore Europa’s habitability 4) Future Exploration Outline 1) Introduction to Icy Ocean Worlds • Follow the water to subsurface oceans in the outer solar system 2) Europa - potential abode for life • What do we know (and don’t know) • Implications for habitability 3) Europa Clipper • Flagship-class mission to explore Europa’s habitability 4) Future Exploration What makes a world habitable? • Traditionally, a world is considered habitable if it can support liquid water on its surface. Philosophy of "follow the water" guides Mars habitability investigations What makes a world habitable? • Traditionally, a world is considered habitable if it can support liquid water on its surface. Philosophy of "follow the water" guides Mars habitability investigations In the outer solar system, liquid water exists in subsurface oceans hidden by an outer shell of ice Credit: NASA Icy Ocean Worlds Credit: NASA/JPL/K. P. Hand Icy Ocean Worlds Ceres Credit: NASA/JPL/K. P. Hand Icy Ocean Worlds Ceres Credit: NASA/JPL/K. P. Hand Icy Ocean Worlds Mimas Ceres Credit: NASA/JPL/K. P. Hand Icy Ocean Worlds Mimas Ceres Credit: NASA/JPL/K. P. Hand Icy Ocean Worlds Mimas Ceres Credit: NASA/JPL/K. P. Hand Outline 1) Introduction to Icy Ocean
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of Spacecraft AI Control Systems
    A Review of Spacecraft AI Control Systems Jeremy STRAUB Department of Mathematical, Computing and Information Sciences Jacksonville State University 700 Pelham Road N., Jacksonville, AL 36265, USA ABSTRACT program: Maniac I. On October 4th, 1957 the Sputnik satellite (the first human-built space craft) was launched. Sputnik 2 The history of artificial intelligence control systems for use in followed on November 3rd, sending the first mammal in to orbit. space is discussed in this paper. The two fields started On the AI front in 1957, Newell, Shaw and Simon introduced separately in the 1950s and first merged in the 1970s due to their General Problem Solver. In 1958, McCarthy introduced control requirements for a Jet Propulsion Laboratory project. LISP, the MIT AI lab was established and the National While spacecraft have a special need for AI systems due to Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was launched. communications delays and other factors, much of AI control [47, 5, 23] system development is conducted for earth-based applications. To mitigate risk factors, space-bound AI systems are also tested The two fields, however, would continue to develop separately extensively via simulations. As a result, virtually all AI space until 1972 when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) started its control systems get their start on the ground. Additionally, AI Research on a mars rover vehicle. By 1975, scientists on ground support systems are required to facilitate communication this project had determined that additional planning capabilities with and command of AI controlled and other space craft. were needed and started construction of an expert system to Numerous successful missions incorporating or controlled by assist in planning.
    [Show full text]