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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

JETT3: A Holistic, Integrated Analog for Artemis Lunar Surface Exploration

Since 1972, NASA astronauts have performed hundreds of Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) in support of Skylab, Space Shuttle and International Space Station missions. Not since Apollo, however, have EVAs been driven by discovery-based principles of scientific exploration. Upcoming Artemis missions are challenged to build on lessons learned from Apollo, merging 50 years of EVA experience with the planetary science community’s expertise in the remote surface exploration of Mars. The highest-fidelity preparation for Artemis includes both operational and scientific underpinning to represent the complete, complex picture of lunar surface operations. The Joint EVA & Human Surface Mobility Test Team (JETT) is an interdisciplinary team providing such an environment for collaborative analog testing. JETT builds upon prior analog campaigns (e.g., [1, 2]) to provide high-fidelity environments for hardware and concept of operations development. Sponsored by the NASA EVA & Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP), JETT includes representatives from EHP, NASA Engineering, the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Human Health & Performance, and the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD). JETT tests evaluate NASA reference designs for EVA (e.g., suits and tools), address gaps and risks for Artemis lunar surface operations, develop capabilities for EVA and science tasks, enable technology maturation, and provide training for Artemis EVA operations. JETT3, the final JETT field test of FY22, occurred Oct 3-11, 2022 in the San Francisco Volcanic Field north of Flagstaff, AZ. The test focused on developing the Artemis concept of operations and systems, including integrating an Artemis-like Science Team into a NASA Flight Control Team (FCT) to plan and execute a series of simulated lunar EVAs in an environment analogous to Artemis 3.

T. E. Caswell↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Caves as Terrestrial Analogs for Mapping and Exploration in Planetary Surface and Subsurface Environments.

The Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack (KNaCK) team is developing tools that will enable ultra-high resolution terrain mapping and navigation at the lunar surface. KNaCK uses mobile light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms to operate in fully GPS-denied and unilluminated environments. Testing in relevant analogs is key to perfecting this technology for planetary applications. After utilizing desert and volcanic environments for multiple tests, the team is now using caves as an additional proving ground. Tests in terrestrial caves have demonstrated the potential of mobile SLAM LiDAR for use in challenging surface environments such as steep walled craters and permanently shadowed regions as well as for lunar, planetary, and terrestrial cave exploration, study, and utilization.

LiDAR↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessments of Physiology And Cognition in Hybrid-reality Environments (APACHE) – Physical Workload Approximation

The Human Physiology, Performance, Protection & Operations Laboratory (H-3PO) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is developing a hybrid reality exploration surface analog, “Assessments of Physiology And Cognition in Hybrid-reality Environments” (APACHE). The goal of APACHE is to create a planetary extravehicular activity (EVA) simulation environment that provides a representative physical and cognitive workload approximation using a combination of virtual reality (VR), physical reality, and hybrid reality (HR) techniques. To develop and characterize the physical workload approximation within the APACHE environment, a two-part approach was implemented. In part 1, baseline physical workload during ambulation within APACHE was evaluated and compared with that in other planetary EVA analog environments and with existing data sets from Apollo planetary EVAs and reduced gravity testing of prototype planetary spacesuits. For this evaluation, 10 subjects were asked to ambulate in three surface analog environments: a passive treadmill in APACHE, natural terrain in an outdoor field environment, and a standard motorized treadmill. Subjects’ heart rate and metabolic rate (VO2/VCO2)were measured and compared among the different test conditions and existing data sets. Gait parameters were also collected to compare with suited mechanics and to understand the role of gait kinematics in physical workload. In part 2, the aim is to evaluate the addition of a custom weighted body suit to the aforementioned surface analog environments and the ability to titrate the suit configuration to provide the best possible physical workload approximation for simulation of lunar and Martian EVAs.

Alexander J Baughman↗
NASA NTRS2014

Usability of Operational Performance Support Tools - Findings from Sea Test II

Sea Test II, aka NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 17(NEEMO 17) took place in the Florida Aquarius undersea habitat. This confined underwater environment provides a excellent analog for space habitation providing similarities to space habitation such as hostile environment, difficult logistics, autonomous operations, and remote communications. This study collected subjective feedback on the usability of two performance support tools during the Sea Test II mission, Sept 10‐14, 2013; Google Glass and iPAD. The two main objectives: - Assess the overall functionality and usability of each performance support tool in a mission analog environment. - Assess the advantages and disadvantages of each tool when performing operational procedures and Just‐In‐Time‐Training (JITT).

Byrne, Vicky↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assessments of Physiology And Cognition in Hybrid-reality Environments (APACHE) – Physical Workload Approximation

The Human Physiology, Performance, Protection & Operations Laboratory (H-3PO) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is developing a hybrid reality exploration surface analog, “Assessments of Physiology and Cognition in Hybrid-reality Environments” (APACHE). The goal of APACHE is to create a planetary extravehicular activity (EVA) simulation environment that provides a representative physical and cognitive workload approximation using a combination of virtual reality (VR), physical reality, and hybrid reality (HR) techniques. To develop and characterize the physical workload approximation within the APACHE environment, a two-part approach was implemented. In part 1, baseline physical work load during ambulation within APACHE was evaluated and compared with that in other planetary EVA analog environments and with existing data sets from Apollo planetary EVAs and reduced gravity testing of prototype planetary spacesuits. For this evaluation, 10 subjects were asked to ambulate in three surface analog environments: a passive treadmill in APACHE, natural terrain in an outdoor field environment, and a standard motorized treadmill. Subjects’ heart rate and metabolic rate (VO2/VCO2) were measured and compared among the different test conditions and existing data sets. Gait parameters were also collected to compare with suited mechanics and to understand the role of gait kinematics in physical workload. In part 2, the aim is to evaluate the addition of a custom weighted body suit to the aforementioned surface analog environments and the ability to titrate the suit configuration to provide the best possible physical workload approximation for simulation of lunar and Martian EVAs.

Alex Baughman↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Self-Scheduling Countermeasures in NASA's HERA Campaign 6

Enhancing crew capabilities for planning and scheduling activities is critical for periods of increased crew autonomy in future long-duration missions where communication delays preclude real-time ground support from Earth. Our study focuses on how to empower astronauts to manage their timelines independently from the experts in the mission control center (MCC). Our objective was to evaluate the impact of scheduling countermeasures on crew scheduling performance, workload, and usability in an analog mission environment. The study involved 16 crew members across four missions in the Limited Autonomy phase of Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Campaign 6. Crew members used Playbook to schedule one operational day for the entire crew. Half the participants accessed scheduling aids, and we compared their performance to a control group with no aids. Performance, workload, and usability were assessed using time on task, violation counts, NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and System Usability Scale (SUS). Participants using scheduling aids completed sessions 20% faster and committed 33% fewer violations. While these differences were not statistically significant due to the study’s operational limitations, trends indicate that scheduling aids may reduce errors and improve efficiency. These results can inform the design of scheduling tools to enhance astronauts’ autonomy in long-duration space missions, contributing to improved crew performance and reduced reliance on ground support.

space robotics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation of Self-Scheduling Countermeasures in NASA's HERA Campaign 6

Enhancing crew capabilities for planning and scheduling activities is critical for periods of increased crew autonomy in future long-duration missions where communication delays preclude real-time ground support from Earth. Our study focuses on how to empower astronauts to manage their timelines independently from the experts in the mission control center (MCC). Our objective was to evaluate the impact of scheduling countermeasures on crew scheduling performance, workload, and usability in an analog mission environment. The study involved 16 crew members across four missions in the Limited Autonomy phase of Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Campaign 6. Crew members used Playbook to schedule one operational day for the entire crew. Half the participants accessed scheduling aids, and we compared their performance to a control group with no aids. Performance, workload, and usability were assessed using time on task, violation counts, NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and System Usability Scale (SUS). Participants using scheduling aids completed sessions 20% faster and committed 33% fewer violations. While these differences were not statistically significant due to the study’s operational limitations, trends indicate that scheduling aids may reduce errors and improve efficiency. These results can inform the design of scheduling tools to enhance astronauts’ autonomy in long-duration space missions, contributing to improved crew performance and reduced reliance on ground support.

space robotics↗
NASA NTRS2009

Hints of Habitable Environments on Mars Challenge Our Studies of Mars-Analog Sites on Earth

Life as we know it requires water with a chemical activity (alpha) >or approx.0.6 and sources of nutrients and useful energy. Some biota can survive even if favorable conditions occur only intermittently, but the minimum required frequency of occurrences is poorly understood. Recent discoveries have vindicated the Mars exploration strategy to follow the water. Mars Global Surveyor s Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) found coarse-grained hematite at Meridiani Planum. Opportunity rover confirmed this and also found evidence of ancient sulfate-rich playa lakes and near-surface groundwater. Elsewhere, TES found evidence of evaporitic halides in topographic depressions. But alpha might not have approached 0.6 in these evaporitic sulfate- and halide-bearing waters. Mars Express (MEX) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) found extensive sulfate evaporites in Meridiani and Valles Marineris. MEX found phyllosilicates at several sites, most notably Mawrth Valles and Nili Fossae. MRO's CRISM near-IR mapper extended the known diversity and geographic distribution of phyllosilicates to include numerous Noachian craters. Phyllosilicates typically occur at the base of exposed ancient rock sections or in sediments in early Hesperian craters. It is uncertain whether the phyllosilicates developed in surface or subsurface aqueous environments and how long aqueous conditions persisted. Spirit rover found remarkably pure ferric sulfate, indicating oxidation and transport of Fe and S, perhaps in fumaroles or hot springs. Spirit also found opaline silica, consistent with hydrothermal activity. CRISM mapped extensive silica deposits in the Valles Marineris region, consistent with aqueous weathering and deposition. CRISM also found ultramafic rocks and magnesite at Nili Fossae, consistent with serpentinization, a process that can sustain habitable environments on Earth. The report of atmospheric methane implies subsurface aqueous conditions. A working hypothesis is that aqueous environments persisted in the near-subsurface for hundreds of millions of years and might exist even today. Studies of Mars-analog environments must better understand subsurface nonphotosynthetic ecosystems and their biosignatures in mafic and ultramafic terranes. Studies must determine minimum needs for water activity and energy and also establish survival limits when conditions that support active metabolism and propagation become progressively less frequent over time.

desMarais, David J↗
NASA NTRS2018

Evaluation of Crew-Centric Onboard Mission Operations Planning and Execution Tool: Year 2

Currently, mission planning for the International Space Station (ISS) is largely affected by ground operators in mission control. The task of creating a week-long mission plan for ISS crew takes dozens of people multiple days to complete, and is often created far in advance of its execution. As such, re-planning or adapting to changing real-time constraints or emergent issues is similarly taxing. As we design for future mission operations concepts to other planets or areas with limited connectivity to Earth, more of these ground-based tasks will need to be handled autonomously by the crew onboard.There is a need for a highly usable (including low training time) tool that enables efficient self-scheduling and execution within a single package. The ISS Program has identified Playbook as a potential option. It already has high crew acceptance as a plan viewer from previous analogs and can now support a crew self-scheduling assessment on ISS or on another mission. The goals of this work, a collaboration between the Human Research Program and the ISS Program, are to inform the design of systems for more autonomous crew operations and provide a platform for research on crew autonomy for future deep space missions. Our second year of the research effort have included new insights on the crew self-scheduling sessions performed by the crew through use on the HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) and NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) analogs. Use on the NEEMO analog involved two self-scheduling strategies where the crew planned and executed two days of EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activities). On HERA year two represented the first HERA campaign where we were able to perform research tasks. This involved selected flexible activities that the crew could schedule, mock timelines where the crew completed more complex planning exercises, usability evaluation of the crew self-scheduling features, and more insights into the limit of plan complexity that the crew could effectively self-schedule. In parallel we have added in new features and functionality in the Playbook tool based off of our insights from crew self-scheduling in the NASA analogs. In particular this year we have added in the ability for the crew to add, edit, and remove their own activities in the Playbook tool, expanding the type of planning and re-planning possible in the tool and opening up the ability for more free form plan creation. The ability to group and manipulate groups of activities from the plan task list was also added, allowing crew members to add predefined sets of activities onto their mission timeline. In addition we also added a way for crew members to roll back changes in their plan, in order to allow an undo like capability. These features expand and complement the initial self-scheduling features added in year one with the goal of making crew autonomous planning more efficient. As part of this work we have also finished developing the first version of our Playbook Data Analysis Tool, a research tool built to interpret and analyze the unobtrusively collected data obtained during the NASA analog missions through Playbook. This data which includes user click interaction as well as plan change information, through the Playbook Data Analysis Tool, allows us to playback this information as if a video camera was mounted over the crewmember's tablet. While the primary purpose of this tool is to allow usability analysis of crew self-scheduling sessions used on the NASA analog, since the data collected is structured, the tool can automatically derive metrics that would be traditionally tedious to achieve without manual analysis of video playback. We will demonstrate and discuss the ability for future derived metrics to be added to the tool. In addition to the current data and results gathered in year two we will also discuss the preparation and goals of our International Space Station (ISS) onboard technology demonstration with Playbook. This technology demonstration will be preformed as part of the CAST payload starting in late 2016.

onboard planning↗
NASA NTRS1995

Cosmic dust analog simulation in a microgravity environment: The STARDUST program

We have undertaken a project called STARDUST which is a collaboration with Italian and American investigators. The goals of this program are to study the condensation and coagulation of refractory materials from the vapor and to study the properties of the resulting grains as analogs to cosmic dust particles. To reduce thermal convective currents and to develop valuable experience in designing an experiment for the Gas-Grain Simulation Facility aboard Space Station, Freedom we have built and flown a new chamber to study these processes under periods of microgravity available on NASA's KC-135 Research Aircraft. Preliminary results from flights with magnesium and zinc are discussed.

Ferguson, F.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Evaluation of the Next-Gen Exercise Software Interface in the NEEMO Analog

NSBRI (National Space Biomedical Research Institute) funded research grant to develop the 'NextGen' exercise software for the NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) analog. Develop a software architecture to integrate instructional, motivational and socialization techniques into a common portal to enhance exercise countermeasures in remote environments. Increase user efficiency and satisfaction, and institute commonality across multiple exercise systems. Utilized GUI (Graphical User Interface) design principals focused on intuitive ease of use to minimize training time and realize early user efficiency. Project requirement to test the software in an analog environment. Top Level Project Aims: 1) Improve the usability of crew interface software to exercise CMS (Crew Management System) through common app-like interfaces. 2) Introduce virtual instructional motion training. 3) Use virtual environment to provide remote socialization with family and friends, improve exercise technique, adherence, motivation and ultimately performance outcomes.

Hanson, Andrea↗
NASA NTRS2017

Stratosphere Conditions Inactivate Bacterial Endospores from a Mars Spacecraft Assembly Facility

Every spacecraft sent to Mars is allowed to land viable microbial bioburden, including hardy endospore-forming bacteria resistant to environmental extremes. Earth's stratosphere is severely cold, dry, irradiated, and oligotrophic; it can be used as a stand-in location for predicting how stowaway microbes might respond to the Martian surface. We launched E-MIST, a high-altitude NASA balloon payload on 10 October 2015 carrying known quantities of viable Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 (4.07?×?10(7) spores per sample), a radiation-tolerant strain collected from a spacecraft assembly facility. The payload spent 8?h at ~31?km above sea level, exposing bacterial spores to the stratosphere. We found that within 120 and 240?min, spore viability was significantly reduced by 2 and 4 orders of magnitude, respectively. By 480?min, <0.001% of spores carried to the stratosphere remained viable. Our balloon flight results predict that most terrestrial bacteria would be inactivated within the first sol on Mars if contaminated spacecraft surfaces receive direct sunlight. Unfortunately, an instrument malfunction prevented the acquisition of UV light measurements during our balloon mission. To make up for the absence of radiometer data, we calculated a stratosphere UV model and conducted ground tests with a 271.1?nm UVC light source (0.5 W/m(2)), observing a similarly rapid inactivation rate when using a lower number of contaminants (640 spores per sample). The starting concentration of spores and microconfiguration on hardware surfaces appeared to influence survivability outcomes in both experiments. With the relatively few spores that survived the stratosphere, we performed a resequencing analysis and identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms compared to unexposed controls. It is therefore plausible that bacteria enduring radiation-rich environments (e.g., Earth's upper atmosphere, interplanetary space, or the surface of Mars) may be pushed in evolutionarily consequential directions.

Planetary protection↗
NASA NTRS2017

Stratosphere Conditions Inactivate Bacterial Endospores from a Mars Spacecraft Assembly Facility

Every spacecraft sent to Mars is allowed to land viable microbial bioburden, including hardy endospore-forming bacteria resistant to environmental extremes. Earth’s stratosphere is severely cold, dry, irradiated and oligotrophic; it can be used as a stand-in location for predicting how stowaway microbes might respond to the Martian surface. We launched E-MIST, a high altitude NASA balloon payload on 10 Oct 2015 carrying known quantities of viable Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 (4.07 x107 spores per sample), a radiation-tolerant strain collected from a spacecraft assembly facility. The payload spent 8 hours at ~32 km above sea level exposing bacterial spores to the stratosphere. We found that within 120 and 240 min, spore viability was significantly reduced by 2 and 4 orders of magnitude, respectively. By 480 min, < 0.001% of spores carried to the stratosphere remained viable. Our balloon flight results predict that most terrestrial bacteria would be inactivated within the first Sol on Mars if contaminated spacecraft surfaces receive direct sunlight. Unfortunately, an instrument malfunction prevented the acquisition of ultraviolet (UV) light measurements during our balloon mission. To make up for the absence of radiometer data, we calculated a stratosphere UV model and also conducted ground tests with a 271.1 nm UVC light source (0.5 W/m2), observing a similarly rapid inactivation rate when using a lower number of contaminants (640 spores per sample). The starting concentration of spores and micro-configuration on hardware surfaces appeared to influence survivability outcomes in both experiments. With the relatively few spores that survived the stratosphere, we performed a re-sequencing analysis and identified 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms compared to unexposed controls. It is therefore plausible that bacteria enduring radiation-rich environments (e.g., Earth’s upper atmosphere, interplanetary space, or the surface of Mars) may be pushed in evolutionarily consequential directions.

Mars↗
NASA NTRS1992

Algorithmic improvements for simulator motion drive

Contemporary simulator motion drive algorithms typically are designed in an analog (continuous) environment, but are implemented in a digital (discrete) environment. The intended continuous system, specified as frequency domain (Laplace transform) transfer functions, may not be represented properly by the algorithms used for digital implementation. The motion drive software in use with the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames Research Center was investigated recently; the original algorithms (Euler) were changed to a state transition method. Comparison of the frequency responses of the original and new implementations showed that the state transition method more closely approximates the desired analog responses. In addition, test pilots who evaluated both implementations preferred the motions generated with the state transition method over those generated with the Euler integration method.

Laforce, Soren↗
NASA NTRS2016

Soil Crystallinity As a Climate Indicator: Field Experiments on Earth and Mars

Soil crystallinity is largely determined by leaching rates, as high leaching rates favor the rapid precipitation of short order or poorly-crystalline phases like the aluminosilicate allophane. High leaching rates can occur due to high precipitation rates, seasonal monsoons, or weathering of glass, but are also caused by the rapid onset of seasonal melting of snow and ice in cold environments. Thus, cold climate soils are commonly dominated by poorly crystalline phases, which mature into kaolin minerals over time. Thus, we hypothesize that, in some contexts, soils with high abundances of poorly crystalline phases could indicate formation under cold climatic conditions. This model could be helpful in interpreting the poorly-constrained paleoclimate of ancient Mars, as the crystallinity of ancient soils and soil-derived sediments appears to be highly variable in time and space. While strong signatures of crystalline phyllosilicates have been identified in possible ancient paleosols on Mars, Mars Science Laboratory rover investigations of diverse ancient sediments at Gale Crater has shown that they can contain very high abundances (40-50 wt%) of poorly crystalline phases. We hypothesize that these poorly crystalline phases could be the result of weathering by ice/snow melt, perhaps providing support for sustained cold climates on early Mars punctuated by more limited warm climates. Furthermore, such poorly crystalline soils could be highly fertile growth media for future human exploration and colonization on Mars. To test this hypothesis, we are currently using rover-like instrumentation to investigate the mineralogy and chemistry of weathering products generated by snow and ice melt in a Mars analog alpine environment: the glaciated Three Sisters volcanic complex in central Oregon. Alteration in this glacial environment generates high abundances of poorly crystalline phases, many of which have compositions distinct from those identified in previous terrestrial investigations, and perhaps more similar to poorly crystalline phases identified on Mars.

Horgan, Briony↗
NASA NTRS2020

Ballooning for Biologists: Mission Essentials for Flying Life Science Experiments to Near Space

Despite centuries of scientific balloon flights, only a handful of experiments have produced biologically-relevant results. Yet unlike orbital spaceflight, it is much faster and cheaper to conduct biology research with balloons, sending specimens to the near space environment of Earth’s stratosphere. Samples can be loaded the morning of a launch and sometimes returned to the laboratory within one day. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) flies large, unmanned scientific balloons from all over globe, with missions ranging from hours to weeks in duration. A payload in the middle portion of the stratosphere (~35 km above sea level) will be exposed to an environment similar to the surface of Mars: temperatures as cold as -100 °C, atmospheric pressure at a thin 0.9 kPa, relative humidity levels < 1%, and a harsh illumination of ultraviolet (UV) and cosmic radiation levels (about 100 W/m 2 and 0.07 mGy/d, respectively) that can be obtained nowhere else on the surface of the Earth, including environmental chambers and particle accelerator facilities attempting to simulate space radiation effects. Considering operational advantages of ballooning and the fidelity of space-like stressors in the stratosphere, researchers in aerobiology, astrobiology, and space biology can benefit from balloon flight experiments as an intermediary step on the extraterrestrial continuum (ground, low Earth orbit, and deep space studies). Our review targets biologists with no background or experience in scientific ballooning. We will provide an overview of balloon operations, topics that can be uniquely addressed in the stratosphere, and a roadmap for developing payloads to fly with NASA.

NASA Balloon Program↗