Tier-Scalable Reconnaissance Missions For The Autonomous Exploration Of Planetary Bodies

A fundamentally new (scientific) reconnaissance mission concept, termed tier-scalable reconnaissance, for remote planetary (including Earth) atmospheric, surface and subsurface exploration recently has been devised that soon will replace the engineering and safety constrained mission designs of the past, allowing for optimal acquisition of geologic, paleohydrologic, paleoclimatic, and possible astrobiologic information of Venus, Mars, Europa, Ganymede, Titan, Enceladus, Triton, and other extraterrestrial targets. This paradigm is equally applicable to potentially hazardous or inaccessible operational areas on Earth such as those related to military or terrorist activities, or areas that have been exposed to biochemical agents, radiation, or natural disasters. Traditional missions have performed local, ground-level reconnaissance through rovers and immobile landers, or global mapping performed by an orbiter. The former is safety and engineering constrained, affording limited detailed reconnaissance of a single site at the expense of a regional understanding, while the latter returns immense datasets, often overlooking detailed information of local and regional significance

In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Capability Roadmap Progress Review

A progress review on In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) capability is presented. The topics include: 1) In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Capability Roadmap: Level 1; 2) ISRU Emphasized Architecture Overview; 3) ISRU Capability Elements: Level 2 and below; and 4) ISRU Capability Roadmap Wrap-up

Calibration and Validation of Earth-Observing Sensors Using Deployable Surface-Based Sensor Networks

©2010 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other worksDOI: 10.1109/JSTARS.2010.2053021Satellite-based instruments are now routinely used to map the surface of the globe or monitor weather conditions. However, these orbital measurements of ground-based quantities are heavily influenced by external factors, such as air moisture content or surface emissivity. Detailed atmospheric models are created to compensate for these factors, but the satellite system must still be tested over a wide variety of surface conditions to validate the instrumentation and correction model. Validation and correction are particularly important for arctic environments, as the unique surface properties of packed snow and ice are poorly modeled by any other terrain type. Currently, this process is human intensive, requiring the coordinated collection of surface measurements over a number of years. A decentralized, autonomous sensor network is proposed which allows the collection of ground-based environmental measurements at a location and resolution that is optimal for the specific on-orbit sensor under investigation. A prototype sensor network has been constructed and fielded on a glacier in Alaska, illustrating the ability of such systems to properly collect and log sensor measurements, even in harsh arctic environments

NASA Capability Roadmaps Executive Summary

This document is the result of eight months of hard work and dedication from NASA, industry, other government agencies, and academic experts from across the nation. It provides a summary of the capabilities necessary to execute the Vision for Space Exploration and the key architecture decisions that drive the direction for those capabilities. This report is being provided to the Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS) team for consideration in development of an architecture approach and investment strategy to support NASA future mission, programs and budget requests. In addition, it will be an excellent reference for NASA's strategic planning. A more detailed set of roadmaps at the technology and sub-capability levels are available on CD. These detailed products include key driving assumptions, capability maturation assessments, and technology and capability development roadmaps

SSTAC/ARTS review of the draft Integrated Technology Plan (ITP). Volume 8: Aerothermodynamics Automation and Robotics (A/R) systems sensors, high-temperature superconductivity

Viewgraphs of briefings presented at the SSTAC/ARTS review of the draft Integrated Technology Plan (ITP) on aerothermodynamics, automation and robotics systems, sensors, and high-temperature superconductivity are included. Topics covered include: aerothermodynamics; aerobraking; aeroassist flight experiment; entry technology for probes and penetrators; automation and robotics; artificial intelligence; NASA telerobotics program; planetary rover program; science sensor technology; direct detector; submillimeter sensors; laser sensors; passive microwave sensing; active microwave sensing; sensor electronics; sensor optics; coolers and cryogenics; and high temperature superconductivity

Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference on NASA/University Advanced Space Design Program

Topics discussed include: lunar transportation system, Mars rover, lunar fiberglass production, geosynchronous space stations, regenerative system for growing plants, lunar mining devices, lunar oxygen transporation system, mobile remote manipulator system, Mars exploration, launch/landing facility for a lunar base, and multi-megawatt nuclear power system

Mars Surface Operations via Low-Latency Telerobotics from Phobos

To help assess the feasibility and timing of Low-Latency Telerobotics (LLT) operations on Mars via a Phobos telecommand base, operations concepts (ops cons) and timelines for several representative sequences for Mars surface operations have been developed. A summary of these LLT sequences and timelines will be presented, along with associated assumptions, operational considerations, and challenges