Remote science activities during the AMADEE-18 Mars analog mission: Preparation and execution during a simulated planetary surface mission

Abstract

In preparation for future human-robotic exploration missions to Mars, the interaction between the in-situ Field Crews and a Remote Science Support (RSS) team on Earth is key. Human robotic exploration missions will experience communication delays, reduced bandwidth, limited availability of astronauts and robotic assets. This, in turn, elucidates the necessity for relatively autonomous frameworks such as robust protocols and comprehensive decision-making workflows. The AMADEE-18 analog mission in Oman simulated selected components of human planetary surface exploration, emphasizing the overall workflow integrating operational constraints with exploration-science related needs. In this work, we outline the operational objectives, processes, and lessons learned corresponding to the interaction between the remote science team and the mission's associated stakeholders. We have taken the lessons learned from past simulated missions and the training procedures established by OeWF (Austrian Space Forum), from which we were able to rigorously evaluate the role of the RSS team in the AMADEE-18 mission. We have analyzed the integration of a WorkFlow and Exploration Cascade within the context of the RSS in-depth, which cumulatively allowed for the successful deployment of Extravehicular activities during the mission. We found that a serial node work distribution of the remote science team was optimal for the success of integral tasks . Moreover, we implemented various modes of communication and found that Slack was the most effective and robust. The AMADEE-18 mission, along with its predecessors, forms part of a continuously developing body of research serving to inform and improve future human planetary exploration.