The Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) project is a multi-year program dedicated to iteratively develop, implement, and evaluate concepts of operations (ConOps) and supporting capabilities intended to enable and enhance human scientific exploration of Mars. This paper describes the planning, execution, and initial results from the first field deployment, referred to as BASALT-1, which consisted of a series of ten simulated extravehicular activities on volcanic flows in Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. The ConOps and capabilities deployed and tested during BASALT-1 were based on previous NASA trade studies and analog testing. Our primary research question was whether those ConOps and capabilities work acceptably when performing real (non-simulated) biological and geological scientific exploration under four different Mars-to-Earth communication conditions: 5 and 15 min one-way light time communication latencies and low (0.512 Mb/s uplink, 1.54 Mb/s downlink) and high (5.0 Mb/s uplink, 10.0 Mb/s downlink) bandwidth conditions, which represent two alternative technical communication capabilities currently proposed for future human exploration missions. The synthesized results, based on objective and subjective measures, from BASALT-1 established preliminary findings that the baseline ConOp, software systems, and communication protocols were scientifically and operationally acceptable with minor improvements desired by the “Mars” extravehicular and intravehicular crewmembers. However, unacceptable components of the ConOps and required improvements were identified by the “Earth” Mission Support Center. These data provide a basis for guiding and prioritizing capability development for future BASALT deployments and, ultimately, future human exploration missions.

/pdf/extravehicular-activity-operations-concepts-under-4zl3srmjy8.pdf

Extravehicular activity operations concepts under communication latency and bandwidth constraints

In June of 2016, the Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) research project conducted its first field deployment, which we call BASALT-1. BASALT-1 consisted of a science-driven field campaign in a volcanic field in Idaho as a simulated human mission to Mars. Scientists and mission operators were provided a suite of ground software tools that we refer to collectively as Minerva to carry out their work. Minerva provides capabilities for traverse planning and route optimization, timeline generation and display, procedure management, execution monitoring, data archiving, visualization, and search. This paper describes the Minerva architecture, constituent components, use cases, and some preliminary findings from the BASALT-1 campaign.

/pdf/minerva-user-centered-science-operations-software-capability-4yy6dwn8c1.pdf

Minerva: User-centered science operations software capability for future human exploration

Short-term and long-term science plans were developed as part of the strategic planning process used by the Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) science team to conduct two Mars-simulation missions investigating basalt habitability at terrestrial volcanic analog sites in 2016. A multidisciplinary team of scientists generated and codified a range of scientific hypotheses distilled into a Science Traceability Matrix (STM) that defined the set of objectives pursued in a series of extravehicular activity (EVA) campaigns performed across multiple field deployments. This STM was used to guide the pre-deployment selection of sampling stations within the selected Mars analog sites on the Earth based on precursor site information such as multispectral imagery. It also informed selection of hand-held instruments and observational data to collect during EVA to aid sample selection through latency-impacted interaction with an Earth-based Science Support Team. A significant portion of the pre-deployment strategic planning activities were devoted to station selection, ultimately the locations used for sample collection and EVA planning. During development of the EVAs, the BASALT science team identified lessons learned that could be used to inform future missions and analog activities, including the critical need for high-resolution precursor imagery that would enable the selection of stations that could meet the scientific objectives outlined in the STM.

/pdf/strategic-planning-insights-for-future-science-driven-3tolis62q8.pdf

Strategic Planning Insights for Future Science-Driven Extravehicular Activity on Mars

Phobos is a scientifically interesting destination which offers engineering, operational and public outreach activities that could enhance subsequent Mars surface missions. A Phobos mission would serve to facilitate the development of the human-based Mars transportation infrastructure, unmanned cargo delivery systems, as well as habitation and exploration assets that would be directly relevant to subsequent Mars surface missions. It would also potentially provide for low latency teleoperations (LLT) of Mars surface robots performing a range of tasks from landing site validation to infrastructure development to support future crewed Mars surface Missions. A human mission to Phobos would be preceded by a cargo predeploy of a Phobos surface habitat and a pressurized excursion vehicle (PEV) to Mars orbit. Once in Mars orbit, the habitat and PEV would spiral to Phobos using solar electric propulsion (SEP)-based systems. When a crewed mission is launched to Phobos, it would include the remaining systems to support the crew during the Earth-to-Mars orbit transit and to reach Phobos after insertion into a high Mars orbit (HMO). The crew would taxi from HMO to Phobos in a spacecraft that is based on a MAV to rendezvous with the predeployed systems. A predominantly static Phobos surface habitat was chosen as a baseline architecture. The habitat would have limited capability to relocate on the surface to shorten excursion distances required by the PEV during exploration and to provide rescue capability should the PEV become disabled. PEVs would contain closed-loop guidance and provide life support and consumables for two crewmembers for two weeks plus reserves. The PEV has a cabin that uses the exploration atmosphere of 8.2psi with 34% oxygen. This atmosphere enables EVA to occur with minimal oxygen prebreathe before crewmembers enter their EVA suits through suit ports, and provides dust control to occur by keeping the suits outside the pressurized volume. When equipped with outriggers, the PEV enables EVA tasks without the need to anchor. Tasks with higher force requirements can be performed with PEV propulsion providing the necessary thrust to counteract forces. This paper overviews the mission operational concepts, and timelines, along with analysis of the power, lighting, habitat stability, and EVA forces. Exploration of Phobos builds heavily on the development of the cis-lunar proving ground and significantly reduces Mars surface risk by facilitating the design, development and testing of habitats, MAVs, and pressurized rover cabins that are all investments in Mars surface assets.

Human exploration missions to phobos prior to crewed mars surface missions

Abstract This paper describes updates to NASA’s approach for assessing and mitigating spaceflight-induced risks to human health and performance. This approach continues to evolve to meet dynamically changing risk environments: lunar missions are currently being designed and the ultimate destination will be Mars. Understanding the risks that astronauts will face during a Mars mission will depend on building an evidence base that informs not only how the humans respond to the challenges of the spaceflight environment, but also how systems and vehicles can be designed to support human capabilities and limitations. This publication documents updates to the risk management process used by the Human System Risk Board at NASA and includes changes to the likelihood and consequence matrix used by the board, the design reference mission categories and parameters, and the standardized evaluation of the levels of evidence that the board accepts when setting risk posture. Causal diagramming, using directed acyclic graphs, provides all stakeholders with the current understanding of how each risk proceeds from a spaceflight hazard to a mission-level outcome. This standardized approach enables improved communication among stakeholders and delineates how and where more knowledge can improve perspective of human system risks and which countermeasures can best mitigate these risks. 

Updates to the NASA human system risk management process for space exploration

NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) is an underwater spaceflight analog that allows a true mission-like operational environment and uses buoyancy effects and added weight to simulate different gravity levels. Three missions were undertaken from 2014–2015, NEEMO 18–20. All missions were performed at the Florida International University's Aquarius Reef Base, an undersea research habitat. During each mission, the effects of communication latencies on operations concepts, timelines, and tasks were studied METHODS: Twelve subjects (4 per mission) were weighed out to simulate near-zero or partial gravity extravehicular activity (EVA) and evaluated different operations concepts for intergration and management of a simulated Earth-based science team (ST) to provide input and direction during exploration activities. Exploration traverses were preplanned based on precursor data. Subjects completed science-related tasks including presampling surveys, geologic-based sampling, and marine-based sampling as a portion of their tasks on saturation dives up to 4 hours in duration that were designed to simulate EVA on Mars or the moons of Mars. One-way communication latencies, 5 and 10 minutes between space and mission control, were simulated throughout the missions. Objective data included task completion times, total EVA times, crew idle time, translation time, ST assimilation time (defined as time available for ST to discuss data/imagery after data acquisition). Subjective data included acceptability, simulation quality, capability assessment ratings, and comments. RESULTS: Precursor data can be used effectively to plan and execute exploration traverse EVAs (plans included detailed location of science sites, high-fidelity imagery of the sites, and directions to landmarks of interest within a site). Operations concepts that allow for presampling surveys enable efficient traverse execution and meaningful Mission Control Center (MCC) interaction across communication latencies and can be done with minimal crew idle time. Imagery and contextual information from the EVA crew that is transmitted real-time to the intravehicular activity (IVA) crewmember(s) can be used to verify that exploration traverse plans are being executed correctly. That same data can be effectively used by MCC (across comm latency) to provide meaningful feedback and instruction to the crew regarding sampling priorities, additional tasks, and changes to the EVA timeline. Text / data capabilities are preferred over voice capabilities between MCC and IVA when executing exploration traverse plans over communication latency.

NEEMO 18–20: Analog testing for mitigation of communication latency during human space exploration

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NEEMO 18–20: Analog testing for mitigation of communication latency during human space exploration