Marsokhod Planetary Rover Status Report

18 February 1995

Written by Dave James

Hawaii Volcano Observatory -- Kilauea, Hawaii

The Kilauea Expedition science and field teams completed lunar and Mars science operations testing with their sixth consecutive day of successful rover operations. Today's traverse was notable as the longest day of operations, with 8 hours of continuous science operations. Science operations were marred only by one network restart which cost 5 minutes. As with previous days, it was possible to leave both the rover and the HVO control center untended for periods while operations continued from California.

This was the third day of lunar science testing, and operations started with an up-close examination of contacts between three separate flow regions. The starting location was identical to the starting location for the third day of Mars science testing, providing comparative data for the science team on what features could be more readily identified in a lunar mission mode. Following observations at two worksites, operators initiated a long traverse across an ejecta field, stopping at numerous locations to characterize boulder size and distribution. The traverse ended on the crest of a large escarpment overlooking a broad flow region. Among other objectives, the team spent time evaluating imaging requirements for long distance evaluation of features. For flight missions, such observations will be critical in analyzing features such as the stratigraphy on the far wall of a valley (which may not be reachable by the rover).

One additional item of note was the successful link up of Karl Pfitzer of MDA to the rover. Karl linked in to view telemetry and images from his home computer using slip line access to the internet. Karl was doing this much to the consternation of his wife, who had some shopping and chores in mind instead. However, Karl reported that she quickly became interested once she saw some of the spectacular images being transmitted back from the vehicle-

This achievement was significant for two reasons. First, it demonstrated the ability to provide broad-based access to rover data and operations. Second, Karl's connection caused minimal delays in the rover control network. The next step in this process is to test the ability for multiple users to access the network. This is the type of control planned for the JASON project, with up to 30 different PIN sites linked in at any one time.

After some well deserved R&R and an all day open house for the public on Monday, the team will begin transitioning into set-up for the JASON project. A visit to the JASON site at the end of the day today revealed a flurry of set-up activity by the production crew. Along with JASON producers, the rover team reviewed potential sites for to operate at during live operations. Emphasis is being placed on finding a site with easy access to the road, as well as a variety of interesting science features for the students to examine. Starting on Tuesday, the rover team will begin moving hardware to the JASON site, concentrating on reestablishing the rover control network as part of the JASON infrastructure. The goal is to perform an end-to-end test by Wednesday, validating our control mode for the JASON production.

One of the most striking impressions of the site visit was the changes which have taken place on the flow within the past two weeks. The continuous advance of lava has pushed back the set-up area originally planned for JASON by several hundred yards. A free flowing river of lava going into the ocean is now visible from the JASON site, reiterating to the field team that the best laid plans may fall to pieces if the volcano has anything to say about it!

Additional status reports, mission results and technical discussions will be forthcoming. In the meantime, however, we have compiled some quick look statistics which hopefully give a sense of the technical accomplishments from this test as well as insight into some of the other issues being dealt with by the field and science teams.

  • Total hours of science operation: 33 over six days (goal was 24)
  • Total hours of rover operation: >50 in Kilauea, >70 in the past 7 weeks
  • Total rover traverse during science operations: >2 km
  • Mission success criteria met: 100%

    Some representative statistics from Mars testing, day 3:

  • During 8 hours of connection to Kilauea, the science team spent 3:50 performing science analysis, 3:35 driving between sites, and had only 35 minutes of delay due to technical issues
  • Each manipulator camera image required 130 minutes to analyze
  • Each full stereo image required 20 minutes to analyze
  • The science team took 26 stereo images, including 2 at full resolution
  • The team took 3 high resolution Kodak DCS images and 5 arm camera images
  • Total traverse was 1394 feet, earning science shift commander Carol Stoker the long distance driving award for the week (and causing some sore backs for the field team who had to portage the rover out!)

    Further statistics, technical and otherwise:

  • Cross slope handled by rover: >45 degrees
  • Slope climbed by rover: >30 degrees
  • Times Keith went up the antenna mast during radio checkout: >15
  • People who saw the rover during public demos: >1000
  • Kids that drove the rover during public demos: >10
  • Kids that drove the rover during public demos and knew more about networking than some field team members: 1 (and we want to hire him)
  • Times Dave James had his picture in the local paper: 2
  • Times anyone else had their picture in the paper: none, zero, zilch
  • Papayas consumed at My Island B&B: >30
  • Cables made, cables discarded, cables remade: we'd rather not talk about that
  • Equipment sacrificed to volcano gods: we're not done yet
  • Pounds of equipment shipped to Hawaii: >2500
  • Times science team got lost during traverse: 2
  • Times science team realized they were lost: 0
  • Times science team was lost but didn't believe it when field team told them: 1
  • Times science team drove rover into undrivable obstacle: 2 (revoke their licenses!)
  • Science team hardest on rover hardware: Lunar
  • Depends needed by Jeff Taylor while viewing science images: 3
  • Times Jeff said "cool": you'd need a Cray to count that high
  • Keyboards submerged by science shift commander: 1
  • Science shift commanders who submerged keyboards: Cass Coombs
  • Number of remote rover drivers: 7 (4 at Ames control center, 3 at remote sites)
  • Number of control sites linked in: 5
  • Amount of duct tape used for structural applications: 0
  • Tie wraps on vehicle: get out the computer again...
  • Packages of Fig Newtons Butler ate on Lunar Day 2: 3
  • Printing costs for Mars testing science images: $1000
  • Science image files overwritten by science shift commander: 1
  • Science shift commanders who overwrote image files: Cass Coombs
  • Times rover kill switch used on purpose: 0
  • Times rover kill switch used by accident: 1
  • Geologist who used rover kill switch by accident: not Cass
  • People in control room on Lunar day 3 with PHDs: 7
  • People in control room on Lunar day 3: 9
  • Times Hans showered: 4
  • Times we made Hans shower: 1
  • Number of places Hans slept: unknown

  • Science data returned: >1.6 gigabytes (approximately a zillion images)

    • If anyone would like further documentation of the above facts, let me know-

    Dave

    JASON VI Home Page

    --------------------------------------------------

    JASON Project Logo

    JASON Project homepage || Teachers' Guide || Students' Corner || Search

    Gene Carl Feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428
    Todd Carlo Viola, JASON Foundation for Education (todd@jason.org)