Desert RATS 2011: Human and robotic exploration of near-Earth asteroids |
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| Institution: | 1. Wyle Integrated Science & Engineering, 2101 NASA Parkway, Mail Code: Wyle/HAC/37C, Houston, TX 77058, USA;2. National Aeronautics & Space Administration, USA;1. Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA;2. Department of Geology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1215 W Dayton St, Madison, WI, 53706, USA;1. Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141 Hildesheim, Germany;2. Institute of Geography and Geology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17a, 17487 Greifswald, Germany;3. Senckenberg Research Institutes and Natural History Museums, Research Station of Quaternary Palaeontology Weimar, Am Jakobskirchhof 4, 99423 Weimar, Germany;1. LWL-Archaeologie fuer Westfalen, In der Wueste 4, D-57462 Olpe, Germany;2. Ruhr-University Bochum, Institut fuer Archaeologische Wissenschaften, Am Bergbaumuseum 31, D-44791 Bochum, Germany;2. Grupo de Investigación Reconocido PREHUSAL, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain;3. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (Universidad de Cantabria, Gobierno de Cantabria, Santander), Av. de los Castros 52, 39005, Santander, Spain;4. Laboratorio de Estudios Paleolíticos, Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueología, Facultad de Geografía e Historia, UNED, Paseo Senda del Rey 7, 28040, Madrid, Spain;1. Prehistory, Ancient History and Archaeology Department, University of Salamanca, c/Cervantes s/n, 37002 Salamanca, Spain;2. The Cantabria International Institute for Prehistoric Research (IIIPC), University of Cantabria Avda, Los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Spain;1. Institute of Medical Sociology, Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany;2. Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany |
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| Abstract: | The Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) 2011 field test involved the planning and execution of a series of exploration scenarios under operational conditions similar to those expected during a human exploration mission to a near-Earth asteroid (NEA). The focus was on understanding the operations tempo during simulated NEA exploration and the implications of communications latency and limited data bandwidth. Anchoring technologies and sampling techniques were not evaluated due to the immaturity of those technologies and the inability to meaningfully test them at D-RATS. Reduced gravity analogs and simulations are being used to fully evaluate Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV) and extravehicular (EVA) operations and interactions in near-weightlessness at a NEA as part of NASA's integrated analogs program. Hypotheses were tested by planning and performing a series of 1-day simulated exploration excursions comparing test conditions all of which involved a single Deep Space Habitat (DSH) and either 0, 1, or 2 SEVs; 3 or 4 crewmembers; 1 of 2 different communications bandwidths; and a 50-second each-way communications latency between the field site and Houston. Excursions were executed at the Black Point Lava Flow test site with a remote Mission Control Center and Science Support Room at Johnson Space Center (JSC) being operated with 50-second each-way communication latency to the field. Crews were composed of astronauts and professional field geologists. Teams of Mission Operations and Science experts also supported the mission simulations each day. Data were collected separately from the Crew, Mission Operations, and Science teams to assess the test conditions from multiple perspectives. For the operations tested, data indicates practically significant benefits may be realized by including at least one SEV and by including 4 versus 3 crewmembers in the NEA exploration architecture as measured by increased scientific data quality, EVA exploration time, capability assessment ratings, and consensus acceptability ratings provided by Crew, Mission Operations, and Science teams. A combination of text and voice was used to effectively communicate over the communications latency, and increased communication bandwidth yielded a small but practically significant improvement in overall acceptability as rated by the Science team, although the impact of bandwidth on scientific strategic planning and public outreach was not assessed. No effect of increased bandwidth was observed with respect to Crew or Mission Operations team ratings of overall acceptability. |
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| Keywords: | Asteroids Human exploration Robotics Operations Space exploration vehicle Analog |
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