Satellite Imaging Researcher Preps
Robot Rover for Mars

University of Cincinnati geographer Richard Beck trekked to the desert of Flagstaff, Ariz., in September to participate in NASA tests of a data-gathering robot system that may someday collect information during Mars exploration and feed it back to Earth using wireless technology.

Beck, an expert in satellite imaging and geographic information systems and an adjunct research assistant professor of geography in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, was invited to work with NASA to design a scientific data-gathering system that could be used for planetary exploration. Beck was joined by colleagues at Wright State University (WSU) and Bowling Green State University (BGSU) who also work with data from Earth-orbiting satellites to gather scientific information about Earth. They hope to develop systems that could do the same with other planets.

"We hope to design a system to ground truth the Martian orbiters just as we do for Earth," said Beck, who is the founder of Ohioview, a coalition that has worked to make satellite images available to individual educators and researchers via the Web.

The scientists are advising NASA on what types of scientific equipment should be included on a science "trailer" that would accompany an Extra Vehicular Activity Robotic Assistant (ERA) rover exploring another planet. Beck and his colleagues also focused on how data gathered from the rover would be transmitted to the trailer and back to scientists on Earth using a wireless backbone.

After a week of experiments that meant a daily drive of 30-40 miles through the desert to Meteor Crater near Flagstaff, Beck returned to the UC campus and said he was "extremely pleased everything worked together." He worked with NASA in Arizona from Sept. 8 to 13.

"It's an enormous amount of fun. These are about the best toys you could possibly imagine. It's amazing what the NASA people can do," said Beck.

After testing the devices, NASA suited up astronauts who checked to see if they could operate the science equipment while wearing an advanced Mark III spacesuit.

The ERA is a powerful, high-endurance, well-instrumented robot with a sophisticated arm and advanced software architecture and fuel cell technology, making it a capable player on a team with other robots and humans. The robot can also operate on its own with full autonomy, performing tasks to keep the astronaut out of harm's way and focused on higher-level tasks.

In addition to UC, BGSU and WSU, the September tests also involved other experts at NASA Johnson Space Center, NASA Glenn Research Center, NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Langley Research Center, University of Texas-El Paso, Stanford University, the U.S. Geological Survey, Science Applications International Corporation and University of Houston.

Beck expects to return to work with NASA on the project again next summer.