Development and Field-Testing of a Prototype Toolkit for Astronaut Planetary Exploration Activities on Moon/Mars

Abstract

A prototype of an on-site geological sample analysis toolkit was developed by students at the University of Maryland and field-tested at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Hanksville, Utah. This portable toolkit is a collection of systems designed to aid astronauts in field geology during planetary Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVAs) on the Moon or Mars. Characteristics of the system include a self-standing, three-pronged staff with the capability to grasp rocks within and dig through various terrain settings, as well as to use a microscope and heads-up display for close examination of rock samples in the field. The heads-up display incorporates augmented reality overlays of the rock sample, enabling the subject to view the microscope-camera images inside his/her space suit. This tool has the potential to greatly advance the effectiveness of an astronaut field geologist on the Moon or Mars, enabling him/her to quickly analyze rock samples on-site. By identifying sites with more valuable science, the overall efficiency of EVA time is enhanced. The tool also reduces the astronaut's workload in the field by reducing the amount of bending and reaching required during sample collection; these are both high mobility tasks, which are difficult to perform in a pressurized suit. In order to evaluate the performance of this prototype, human factors testing was conducted at the Mars Desert Research Station, a unique Mars-analog site. Volunteer test subjects performed the following tasks with the tool: walking, digging out a rock, picking up a rock, and standing the staff upright in the ground in order to demonstrate a hands-free scenario, useful when simultaneous tasks need to be accomplished. The tasks were repeated on three different terrains: flat ground, inclined slope, and declined slope. The subjects were then asked to evaluate the ability of the tool to perform each of these tasks as well as the relative workload required to complete each task; a modified Cooper-Harper Chart was used to select the ratings. In addition to the field testing described above, benchtop testing was performed inside the MDRS Habitat in order to assess the effectiveness of the microscope and heads-up display. The comments from the test subjects were recorded during both the field-testing and bench-top testing experiments, and they serve as a very useful foundation for the development of a more refined version of the prototype geological toolkit in possible future iterations.