Evaluation of Robotic Systems to Carry out Traverse Execution, Opportunistic Science, and Landing Site Evaluation Tasks
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NASA/TM-2011-216157 Evaluation of Robotic Systems to Carry Out Traverse Execution, Opportunistic Science, and Landing Site Evaluation Tasks Stephen J. Hoffman, PhD1, Matthew J. Leonard2, Pascal Lee, PhD3 1Science Applications International Corporation, Houston 2NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 3Mars Institute, SETI Institute, Moffett Field, California National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space Center Houston, TX 77058 September 2011 THE NASA STI PROGRAM OFFICE . IN PROFILE Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to • CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. Collected the advancement of aeronautics and space papers from scientific and technical science. The NASA Scientific and Technical conferences, symposia, seminars, or other Information (STI) Program Office plays a key meetings sponsored or cosponsored by part in helping NASA maintain this important NASA. role. • SPECIAL PUBLICATION. 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Desk at (301) 621-0134 • TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM. Scientific • Telephone the NASA Access Help Desk at and technical findings that are preliminary (301) 621-0390 or of specialized interest, e.g., quick release reports, working papers, and bibliographies • Write to: that contain minimal annotation. Does not NASA Access Help Desk contain extensive analysis. NASA Center for AeroSpace • CONTRACTOR REPORT. Scientific and Information technical findings by NASA-sponsored 7115 Standard contractors and grantees. Hanover, MD 21076-1320 NASA/TM-2011-216157 Evaluation of Robotic Systems to Carry Out Traverse Execution, Opportunistic Science, and Landing Site Evaluation Tasks Stephen J. Hoffman, PhD1, Matthew J. Leonard2, Pascal Lee, PhD3 1Science Applications International Corporation, Houston 2NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 3Mars Institute, SETI Institute, Moffett Field, California National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space Center Houston, TX 77058 September 2011 Acknowledgement The principal investigator would like to acknowledge the contributions of those individuals and groups that helped us to complete this set of experiments quickly and efficiently – more so than was expected. First is Dr. Stephen Voels, who was very creative in developing software tools that allowed us to plan these experiments in much greater detail than originally planned and manage the relatively large amount of data gathered in the field with a relatively small number of people. Next is Dr. Terry Fong and his Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG), which provided us access to Dr. Fong’s robotic devices, his “mission control” facilities at the NASA Ames Research Center, and IRG personnel both on Devon Island and at the Ames Research Center. This support allowed us to conduct these experiments at our desired level of fidelity while avoiding the expense of replicating this support. Finally, I would like to thank the three volunteers at Devon Island – Valerie Meyers, PhD (NASA Johnson Space Center), Elaine Walker (Education and Public Outreach, Haughton-Mars Project, Mars Institute), and Kelsey Young (PhD student in Geology; Arizona State University) – who helped me gather all of the field data we used to conduct these experiments. Available from: NASA Center for AeroSpace Information National Technical Information Service 7121 Standard Drive 5285 Port Royal Road Hanover, MD 21076-1320 Springfield, VA 22161 301-621-0390 703-605-6000 This report is also available in electronic form at http://techreports.larc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/NTRS Contents 1. Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 NASA planetary surface exploration overview .................................................. 1 1.3 Purpose of the study ........................................................................................... 3 1.4 Study hypotheses summary ................................................................................ 3 1.5 Experimental activities ....................................................................................... 4 1.6 Results and lessons learned ................................................................................ 8 1.7 Future study recommendations .......................................................................... 9 2. Study Overview .................................................................................................. 11 2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................... 11 2.1.1 Traverse Route Planning and Following ........................................................... 11 2.1.2 Opportunistic Science Protocol .......................................................................... 12 2.1.3 Landing Site Validation ...................................................................................... 12 2.2 Methodology overview ....................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Study Distributed Operations ............................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Remote Observation Data Sets ........................................................................... 18 2.2.3 Terrain Zone Classification System ................................................................... 18 2.2.4 Experimental Facilities and Resources .............................................................. 19 2.2.5 Methodology Limitations .................................................................................... 21 2.3 Traverse route planning and following experiment ........................................... 22 2.3.1 The Four Parts ................................................................................................... 22 2.3.2 Traverse Route Planning and Following Hypothesis 1 ...................................... 25 2.3.3 Traverse Route Planning and Following Hypothesis 2 ...................................... 25 2.3.4 Traverse Route Planning and Following Hypothesis 3 ...................................... 25 2.3.5 Traverse Route Planning and Following Data to be Gathered ......................... 25 2.4 Opportunistic science protocol experiment ........................................................ 26 2.4.1 Opportunistic Science Protocol Hypothesis 1 .................................................... 28 2.4.2 Opportunistic Science Protocol Data to be Gathered ........................................ 28 2.5 Landing site validation experiment .................................................................... 29 2.5.1 Landing Site Validation Hypothesis 1 ................................................................ 31 2.5.2 Landing Site Validation Hypothesis 2 ................................................................ 31 2.5.3 Additional Objectives ......................................................................................... 31 2.5.4 Data to be Gathered ........................................................................................... 31 3. Experimental Activities and Results .................................................................. 33 3.1 Traverse route planning and following experiment ........................................... 33 3.1.1 Implementation ................................................................................................... 33 3.1.2 Data Gathered .................................................................................................... 42 3.1.3 Hypotheses and Objective Discussion ................................................................ 45 3.1.3.1 Traverse route planning and following hypothesis-1 ......................................... 45 3.1.3.2 Traverse route planning and following