Mission enhancing capabilities for science-driven exploration extravehicular activity derived from the NASA BASALT research program

Abstract

The NASA-funded Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) program is investigating candidate Mars extravehicular activity (EVA) concepts of operations and capabilities through science-driven terrestrial fieldwork under Mars-mission operational constraints. The third BASALT field test consisted of ten simulated EVAs in the Kilauea Caldera and Kilauea Iki regions of Hawai’i in November 2017. Each EVA included two extravehicular (EV) crewmembers completing real (non-simulated) geobiochemical science objectives (e.g., collecting detailed imagery and scientific instrument data and extracting samples of basalt for further laboratory investigations), two intravehicular crewmembers who supported the EV crew in real-time, and a Mission Support Center comprised of remote scientists and operators who provided scientific expertise during the EVAs across Mars-relevant communication latencies. Throughout this field test, a series of new capabilities, including high-resolution panoramic imagery, mobile automated light detection and ranging data, immersive mixed-reality terrain models, and augmented-reality field systems for terrain navigation and annotation, were incorporated and evaluated during the mission simulation for their ability to enable and enhance science. The value provided by these capabilities was assessed using a variety of objective and subjective technology impact metrics, including detailed EVA task timing data, space-to-ground interaction data, and heritage subjective assessments of capability assessment (a measure of the potential for mission enhancement), simulation quality (a measure of simulation fidelity), and acceptability (including the specification of desired, warranted, and required improvements). In general, these capabilities were rated at least moderately enhancing for future planetary EVA, meaning that they are likely to moderately enhance one of more aspects of EVA or significantly enhance EVA on rare occasions. A number of specific improvements to these capabilities were identified, which warrant further development and testing, and several complementary future studies are proposed. Together, these data provide critical knowledge to help meet design challenges associated with future science-driven planetary EVA. While this paper specifically focuses on applications for future human spaceflight exploration, many of the results and lessons learned are also applicable to present-day terrestrial scientific fieldwork.