49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2083) 2422.pdf CONDUCTING SCIENCE-DRIVEN EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITIES DURING PLANETARY SURFACE EXPLORATION – THE NEEMO (NASA EXTREME ENVIRONMENT MISSION OPERATIONS) 22 MISSION. K. E. Young1, T. G. Graff2, D. Coan3, M. Reagan4, W. Todd5, A. Naids4, M. Walker4, A. Hood4, K. E. Dougan6, A. Bellantuono6, D. G. Merselis6, T. Thinesh6, M. Rodriquez-Lanetty6, E. Rampe4, C. Evans4, L. Pace4, D. Garrison7, K. Zacny8, F. Rehnmark8, B. Wei8, and P. Chu8; 1UTEP/Jacobs JETS at NASA JSC, Houston, TX, 77058; 2Jacobs JETS at NASA JSC; 3Aerospace Corporation at NASA JSC; 4NASA JSC; 5USRA at NASA JSC; 6Florida International University; 7Barrios/Jacobs JETS at NASA JSC; 8Honeybee Robotics; corresponding author email:
[email protected]. Introduction: Analog tests, or high fidelity multi- (Figure 1). Prior analog missions, along with space- disciplinary mission simulations, are a crucial part of flight missions, identified the importance of an IV preparing for the next generation of planetary surface crewmember in EVA operations, who serves as a exploration. The NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environ- communication hub between the EV crew and any sup- ment Mission Operations) program is one such analog. porting personnel on ‘Earth’ (on the ST and/or in NEEMO utilizes The Aquarius habitat, the world’s MCC). All video and audio communications from each only undersea research facility, located six miles off of the two EV crew is visible by both the IV crew and the coast of the Florida Keys. Since the early 2000s, by specialists on ‘Earth’. When MCC or the ST wanted NASA, in coordination with international, academic, to communicate with the EV crew, they did so through military, and industry partners, has been running a se- the IV crewmember by standard radio voice transmis- ries of NEEMO analog missions, studying the explora- sions and/or text.