Machine learning chalenges in Mars rover traverse science
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OASIS machine learning onboard science↗
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Capabilities and Performance of Juno’s Radio Science Instrumentation
The Juno Gravity Science Instrument is a radio science instrument onboard the Juno spacecraft, which entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016. The prime objective of the radio science investigation is to estimate the gravitational field of Jupiter from the Doppler shift on the radio link between the spacecraft and the Earth-based observing antennas of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN). The instrument is composed of a ground component at the DSN’s DSS-25 antenna, equipped with simultaneous dual X- and Ka-band transmitters and receivers, and a spacecraft component, which includes X- and Ka-band transponders to relay the transmitted signal back to Earth. The frequencies of these signals are measured using sensitive open-loop and closed-loop receivers of the DSN. Using the unique geometry of Juno’s orbit around Jupiter and the exquisite precision of the radio science instrumentation (~5-10 microns/sec one-way), the gravity field of Jupiter has been probed to unprecedented precision, allowing for discoveries of Jupiter’s core size and depth of the zonal winds. This precision is thanks to a detailed data processing and calibration techniques. An Advanced Water Vapor Radiometer measures the tropospheric delay and a linear combination X- and Ka-band links calibrates for Earth ionosphere, solar plasma, and Jovian plasma. Recent measurements probed the electron content inside Jupiter’s Io Plasma Torus, a doughnut-shaped ring of charged particles caught in Jupiter’s magnetosphere. Results from these measurements not only contributes to the scientific literature but also informs the performance of the instrument itself and can be used in future planning.
Oudrhiri, Kamal↗
Planning for rover opportunistic science
The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit recently set a record for the furthest distance traveled in a single sol on Mars. Future planetary exploration missions are expected to use even longer drives to position rovers in areas of high scientific interest. This increase provides the potential for a large rise in the number of new science collection opportunities as the rover traverses the Martian surface. In this paper, we describe the OASIS system, which provides autonomous capabilities for dynamically identifying and pursuing these science opportunities during longrange traverses. OASIS uses machine learning and planning and scheduling techniques to address this goal. Machine learning techniques are applied to analyze data as it is collected and quickly determine new science gods and priorities on these goals. Planning and scheduling techniques are used to alter the behavior of the rover so that new science measurements can be performed while still obeying resource and other mission constraints. We will introduce OASIS and describe how planning and scheduling algorithms support opportunistic science.
artificial intelligence↗
A New Centimeter-Level Real-Time Global Navigation and Positioning Capability with GPS
NASA/JPL has developed a new, precise, global, GPS-based capability for real-time terrestrial and space platform navigation. It has been demonstrated on Earth's surface and is 10 times more accurate than other real-time GPS-based systems. The new system poses certain advantages for Earth science remote sensing, including: the onboard generation of science data products in real-time, sensor control and reduction of data transmission bandwidth, improved environmental forecasting, autonomous and intelligent platform control, operations cost savings, and technology transfer and commercial partnership opportunities. The system's measurement capabilities and applications, demonstrated orbit accuracies, and precision LEO and spacecraft positioning and timing are highlighted.
real time↗
MOBI and FEANICS Programming in Labview
The flight software engineering branch provides design and development of embedded real-time software applications for flight and supporting ground systems to support the NASA Aeronautics and Space Programs. In addition, this branch evaluates, develops and implements new technologies for embedded real-time systems, and maintains a laboratory for applications of embedded technology. This branch supports other divisions and is involved with many other projects. My mentor Rochelle and I are involved in the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) project, the MOBI project, and the FEANICS project. The Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) will occupy two powered racks on the International Space Station (ISS). It will be a permanent modular, multiuser facility to accommodate microgravity science experiments onboard the ISS's U.S. Laboratory Module. FCF will support NASA Human Exploration and Development of Space program objectives requiring sustained, systematic research in the disciplines of fluid physics and combustion science. The fluids experiment is called FIR and the combustion experiment is called CIR. The MOBI Experiment is an experiment that is performed to understand the physics of bubble segregation and resuspension in an inertia, monodisperse gas-liquid suspension, and to understand how bubble pressure resists segregation in suspensions with continuous phase inertia. The main focus of FEANICS and the solid combustion experiments will be to conduct basic and applied scientific investigations in fire-safety to support NASA's Bioastronautics Initiative. Based on data obtained in microgravity and experience gained from the beginning of the U.S. manned space program, these normal gravity flammability assessments have been assumed to be conservative with respect to flammability in all environments. However, some of the complex interactions that govern ignition and flame growth can only be evaluated in the long durations of microgravity available on the ISS. Before any of these projects actually go to the ISS, they are going to be tested on NASA's KC-135 Low-G airplane, the KC-135 Low-G Flight Research aircraft (a predecessor of the Boeing 707) is used to fly parabolas to create 20-25 seconds of weightlessness so that the astronauts can experience and researchers can investigate the effects of zero gravity. My mentor and I have been working with Labview to write the programs that are going to acquire, analyze and present the data acquired from these Test flights on the KC-135. We have been working closely with electrical, and mechanical engineers to make sure the program and the hardware can communicate and perform the operations necessary for the flight test. LabVIEW delivers a powerful graphical development environment for signal acquisition, measurement analysis, and data presentation, giving you the flexibility of a programming language without the complexity of traditional development tools. The programming of the control panel and the code are both done in GUIs which allow for flexibility in the code and the program.
Rios, Jeffrey N.↗
Concept Defined for the International Space Station's Fluids and Combustion Facility
The Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) will occupy three powered racks and one stowage rack on the International Space Station (ISS). It will be a permanent modular, multiuser facility to accommodate microgravity science experiments onboard the ISS s U.S. Laboratory Module. FCF will support NASA Human Exploration and Development of Space program objectives requiring sustained, systematic research in the disciplines of fluid physics and combustion science. The two disciplines share racks and mutually necessary hardware within FCF to dramatically reduce costs and effectively use ISS resources. Even with the cost of FCF development included, experimentation using FCF on the space station will cost only half of what it did on the space shuttles.
Winsa, Edward A.↗
The Cassini Live Update Process
The Cassini orbiter is an international science mission to the Saturnian system with 12 science instruments onboard. The Cassini spacecraft lacks a scan platform, which means the entire spacecraft must be rotated to control pointing of any one instrument's boresight. The resulting complex sequences of commands are built beginning many months before execution onboard. Late ephemeris updates from improved navigation data (i.e. after an orbital trim maneuver) often result in pointing commands in the sequence no longer being accurate enough to obtain the desired science observation. This paper will provide an overview of how Cassini uses live updates to address this potential loss of data, including the software developed for this process.
Vandermey, Nancy↗
Balanced Expertise Distribution in Remote Ultrasound Imaging Aboard The International Space Station (ISS)
Astronaut training for ISS operations usually ensures independent performance. With small crew size same crews also conduct all science work onboard. With diverse backgrounds, a good "match" between the existing and required skills can only be anecdotal. Furthermore, full proficiency in most of the complex tasks can be attained only through long training and practice, which may not be justified and may be impossible given the scarcity of training time. To enable a number of operational and science advancements, authors have developed a new approach to expertise distribution in time and among the space and ground personnel. Methods: As part of NASA Operational Ultrasound Project (1998-2003) and the NASA-solicited experiment "Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity-ADUM" (P.I. -S.D., ongoing), the authors have created a "Balanced Expertise Distribution" approach to perform complex ultrasound imaging tasks on ISS for both operational and science use. The four components of expertise are a) any pre-existing pertinent expertise; b) limited preflight training c) adaptive onboard proficiency enhancement tools; d) real-time ' guidance from the ground. Throughout the pre-flight training and flight time preceding the experiments, the four components are shaped in a dynamic fashion to meet in an optimum combination during the experiment sessions. Results: Procedure validation sessions and feasibility studies have given encouraging results. While several successful real-time remote guidance sessions have been conducted on ISS, Expedition 8 is the first to use an "on-orbit proficiency enhancement" tool. Conclusions: In spite of severely limited training time, daring peer-reviewed research and operational enhancements are feasible through a balanced distribution of expertise in time, as well as among the crewmembers and ground personnel. This approach shows great promise for biomedical research, but may be applicable for other areas of micro gravity-based science
Sargsyan, Ashot↗
Autonomous Detection of Dust Devils and Clouds on Mars
Acquisition of science in space applications is shifting from teleoperated gathering to an automated on-board analysis with improvements in the use of on-board memory, CPU, bandwidth and data quality. In this paper, we describe algorithms to autonomously detect dust devils and clouds from a rover and summarize the results. These algorithms meet high hit-to-miss ratios and satisfy strict requirements of CPU, memory usage and bandwidth. The detectors have been scheduled for upload to the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) in 2006. These are the first autonomous science processes in the rovers.
onboard science↗
Onboard Algorithms for Data Prioritization and Summarization of Aerial Imagery
Many current and future NASA missions are capable of collecting enormous amounts of data, of which only a small portion can be transmitted to Earth. Communications are limited due to distance, visibility constraints, and competing mission downlinks. Long missions and high-resolution, multispectral imaging devices easily produce data exceeding the available bandwidth. To address this situation computationally efficient algorithms were developed for analyzing science imagery onboard the spacecraft. These algorithms autonomously cluster the data into classes of similar imagery, enabling selective downlink of representatives of each class, and a map classifying the terrain imaged rather than the full dataset, reducing the volume of the downlinked data. A range of approaches was examined, including k-means clustering using image features based on color, texture, temporal, and spatial arrangement
Chien, Steve A.↗
Synthetic (Hydrothermal) Hematite-Rich Mars-Analog Spherules from Acid-Sulfate Brines: Implications for Formation and Diagenesis of Hematite Spherules in Outcrops at Meridiani Planum, Mars
The Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) orbiter discovered a large area at Meridiani Planum (MP) covered with the Fe-oxide hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) [1,2]. This discovery and favorable landing site characteristics led to selection of MP as the landing site for the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover (MER) [3]. The Athena science payload onboard the Opportunity rover identified hematite-rich spherules (mean spherule diameter approx.4.2+/-0.8 mm) embedded in S-rich outcrop rock and also as lag deposits of whole and broken spherules [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Although the chemical and mineralogical compositions of spherules are not fully constrained, Moessbauer spectrometer (MB) Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) and chemical analyses from the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) are consistent with a hematite mineralogical composition and an oxide bulk chemical composition consisting of Fe2O3. MGS-TES, also provides an important constraint that emission from the hematite-rich spherules is dominated by emission along the crystallographic c-axis [1,2,10,11]. The formation of hematite-rich spherules with similar chemical, mineralogical, morphological, and crystallographic properties to the MP spherules is rare on Earth, to date, only two natural analogs have been proposed; one from Utah (Navaho Concretions) and the other from Mauna Kea, Hawaii [12,13]. In this study, we synthesized in the laboratory hematite-rich spherules using conditions that may have existed on Early Mars [14] and compared their properties to those for MP hematite spherules of Mars and the analog spherules from Utah and Mauna Kea in order to assess their relative merit as MP hematite spherule analogs. Such comparisons yield clues to the formation pathway for MP spherules.
Golden, D. C.↗
Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT) Mission Concept: Continuous Distributed Observations of Geo-Effective, Heliospheric Structures from the Vantage Points of Sun-Earth L1 and Sub- L1
Continuous, in-situ, multi-point observations along the Sun-Earth line at and inside the Lagrange point L1 (sub-L1) will enable a better understanding of the three-dimensional structure and temporal evolution of heliospheric structures that drive terrestrial space weather. The proposed SWIFT (Space Weather Investigation Frontier) mission will use a new solar sail propulsion system developed by NASA to enable a suite of science instruments onboard a smallsat to maintain observations along the Sun-Earth line, sub-L1, for extended periods. Three identically instrumented small spacecraft at L1 will fly in concert with the sailcraft at sub-L1 in an optimized tetrahedron constellation, covering distances between 10 to 100’s of Earth radii. This viewing geometry will enable scientists to distinguish between local and global processes driving space weather by revealing the spatial characteristics, temporal evolution, and geo-effectiveness of small- to meso-scale solar wind structures and substructures of macro-scale structures, such as interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and stream interaction regions (SIRs). In addition, real time measurements of earth-bound heliospheric structures from sub-L1 will improve our current forecasting lead-times by up to 35 percent. This paper will provide an overview of the proposed SWIFT science and mission concept.
Spacecraft Propulsion↗
Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT)
Continuous, in-situ, multi-point observations along the Sun-Earth line at and inside the Lagrange point L1 (sub-L1) will enable a better understanding of the three-dimensional structure and temporal evolution of heliospheric structures that drive terrestrial space weather. The proposed SWIFT (Space Weather Investigation Frontier) mission will use a new solar sail propulsion system developed by NASA to enable a suite of science instruments onboard a smallsat to maintain observations along the Sun-Earth line, sub-L1, for extended periods. Three identically instrumented small spacecraft at L1 will fly in concert with the sailcraft at sub-L1in an optimized tetrahedron constellation, covering distances between 10 to 100’s of Earth radii. This viewing geometry will enable scientists to distinguish between local and global processes driving space weather by revealing the spatial characteristics, temporal evolution, and geo-effectiveness of small-to meso-scale solar wind structures and substructures of macro-scale structures, such as interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and stream interaction regions (SIRs). In addition, real time measurements of earth-bound heliospheric structures from sub-L1 will improve our current forecasting lead-times by up to 35 percent. This paper will provide an overview of the proposed SWIFT science and mission concept.
Heliophysics↗
Human factors issues in performing life science experiments in a 0-G environment
An overview of the environmental conditions within the Spacelab and the planned Space Station Freedom is presented. How this environment causes specific Human Factors problems and the nature of design solutions are described. The impact of these problems and solutions on the performance of life science activities onboard Spacelab (SL) and Space Station Freedom (SSF) is discussed. The first area highlighted is contamination. The permanence of SSF in contrast to the two-week mission of SL has significant impacts on crew and specimen protection requirements and, thus, resource utilization. These requirements, in turn impose restrictions on working volumes, scheduling, training, and scope of experimental procedures. A second area is microgravity. This means that all specimens, materials, and apparatus must be restrained and carefully controlled. Because so much of the scientific activity must occur within restricted enclosures (gloveboxes), the provisions for restraint and control are made more complex. The third topic is crewmember biomechanics and the problems of movement and task performance in microgravity. In addition to the need to stabilize the body for the performance of tasks, performance of very sensitive tasks such as dissection is difficult. The issue of space sickness and adaption is considered in this context.
Gonzalez, Wayne↗
Exploration of the Mars Radiation Environment Using MARIE
One of three science instruments onboard Mars Odyssey is the Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE), which is described here. MARIE is an energetic particle spectrometer which will characterize the space radiation environment of Mars and determine its risk to human exploration. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
Cucinotta, F.↗
Comparison of Newly Acquired Lunar Spectra with the Titanium Abundance Maps Derived from Clementine
The Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) is one of seven science instruments onboard NASA's MESSENGER mission, currently en-route to the planet Mercury. One of MASCS s components, referred to as the Visible and Near Infrared Spectrograph (VIRS), will record reflectance spectra of the surface in order to characterize the mineralogy of the planet [1]. The lunar highlands and the average mercurian crust are proposed to be compositionally similar [i.e. 2]. In preparation to interpret VIRS reflectance spectra of Mercury to be first obtained in 2008, the Moon has been observed with an engineering model of the VIRS from a ground-based telescope. In this study, the ultraviolet and visible region of the spectrum is compared with titanium content in the lunar regolith.
Holsclaw, G. M.↗
Light Microscopy Module Fan Disturbance Characterized Through Microgravity Emissions Laboratory Testing
A Light Microscopy Module (LMM) is being engineered, designed, and developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The LMM is planned as a remotely controllable on-orbit microscope subrack facility, allowing flexible scheduling and control of physical science and biological science experiments within Glenn s Fluids Integrated Rack on the International Space Station. The LMM concept is a modified commercial research imaging light microscope with powerful laser-diagnostic hardware and interfaces, creating a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art microscopic research facility. The microscope will house several different objectives, corresponding to magnifications of 10, 40, 50, 63, and 100. Features of the LMM include high-resolution color video microscopy, brightfield, darkfield, phase contrast, differential interference contrast, spectrophotometry, and confocal microscopy combined in a single configuration. Also, laser tweezers are integrated with the diagnostics as a sample manipulation technique. As part of the development phase of the LMM, it was necessary to quantify the microgravity disturbances generated by the control box fan. Isolating the fan was deemed necessary to reduce the fan speed harmonic amplitudes and to eliminate any broadband disturbances across the 60- to 70-Hz and 160- to 170-Hz frequency ranges. The accelerations generated by a control box fan component of the LMM were measured in the Microgravity Emissions Laboratory (MEL). The MEL is a low-frequency measurement system developed to simulate and verify the on-orbit International Space Station (ISS) microgravity environment. The accelerations generated by various operating components of the ISS, if too large, could hinder the science performed onboard by disturbing the microgravity environment. The MEL facility gives customers a test-verified way of measuring their compliance with ISS limitations on vibratory disturbance levels. The facility is unique in that inertial forces in 6 degrees of freedom can be characterized simultaneously for an operating test article. Vibratory disturbance levels are measured for engineering or flight-level hardware following development from component to subassembly through the rack-level configuration. The MEL can measure accelerations as small as 10-7g, the accuracy needed to confirm compliance with ISS requirements.
McNelis, Anne M.↗
A "Kane's Dynamics" Model for the Active Rack Isolation System: Addition of Umbilicals to the Nonlinear Model - Part 3
In the late 1980s, microgravity researchers began to voice their concern that umbilical-transmitted energy could significantly degrade the acceleration environment of microgravity space science experiments onboard manned spacecraft. Since umbilicals are necessary for many experiments, control designers began to seek ways to compensate for these "indirect" disturbances. Hampton, et al., used the Kane s method to develop a model of the active rack isolation system (ARIS) that includes (1) actuator control forces, (2) direct disturbance forces, and (3) indirect, actuator-transmitted disturbances. Their model does not, however, include the indirect, umbilical-transmitted disturbances. Since the umbilical stiffnesses are not negligible, these indirect disturbances must be included in the model. Until the umbilicals have been appropriately included, the model will be incomplete. This Technical Memorandum presents a nonlinear model of ARIS with umbilicals included. Model verification was achieved by utilizing two commercial-off-the-shelf software tools. Various forces and moments were applied to the model to yield simulated responses of the system. Plots of the simulation results show how various critical points on an ARIS-outfitted international standard payload rack behave under the application of direct disturbances, indirect disturbances, and control forces. Simulations also show system response to a variety of initial conditions.
Rupert, J. K.↗