Improving Lunar Exploration with Robotic Follow up
Introduction: We are investigating how augmenting human field work with subsequent robot activity can improve lunar exploration. Robotic "follow up" might involve: completing geology observations; making tedious or long duration measurements of a target site or feature; curating samples in situ; and performing unskilled, labor intensive work. To study this technique, we have begun conducting a series of lunar analog field tests at Haughton Crater (Canada) Motivation: In most field geology studies on Earth, explorers often find themselves left with a set of observations they would have liked to make, or samples they would have liked to take, if only they had been able to stay longer in the field. For planetary field geology, we can imagine mobile robots perhaps teleoperated vehicles previously used for manned exploration or dedicated planetary rovers being deployed to perform such follow up activities [1] Robotic rovers will be needed on the Moon. Both the National Research Council [2] and the NASA Advisory Council [3] identify key roles for robots. The NAC report states that "to achieve the highest ranked lunar science objectives, continued robotic sortie missions will be needed, before and after human presence is established" Humans themselves will be on the Moon. Because humans are able to explore the Moon in situ, robotic rovers do not need to be conceived as primary (or sole) science instruments. Instead, robots may be designed to perform rote, tedious, or long duration follow up tasks and enable humans to focus on activities that require human intelligence, skills and decision making. Substantial time is available for robotic follow up work. With the "Global Exploration Strategy" [4] there will be substantial amounts of time and opportunities to use robotic assets positioned on the Moon to perform work. Robotic rovers could be put to good use during the time between crews to finish a variety of field work tasks and to prepare for future crews. We do not know how to use robotic follow up for human exploration. While the notion of operating robots to complete work started by humans is conceptually simple, many unknowns become quickly apparent if one attempts to establish a practical lunar concept of operations. Even on Earth, little has been done to study, assess, and document the impact and value of robotic follow up in support of humans. Field Tests: In July 2010, we conducted the first of a series of field tests at the Haughton Crater impact structure on Devon Island, Canada [5] In this test, we remotely operated a K10 planetary rover equipped with a variety of instruments (3D scanning lidar, color imagers, XRF spectrometer, and ground penetrating radar) to perform follow up work.