A document describes a system of processes involved in planning, commanding, and monitoring operations of the rovers Spirit and Opportunity of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. The system is designed to minimize command turnaround time, given that inherent uncertainties in terrain conditions and in successful completion of planned landed spacecraft motions preclude planning of some spacecraft activities until the results of prior activities are known by the ground-based operations team. The processes are partitioned into those (designated as tactical) that must be tied to the Martian clock and those (designated strategic) that can, without loss, be completed in a more leisurely fashion. The tactical processes include assessment of downlinked data, refinement and validation of activity plans, sequencing of commands, and integration and validation of sequences. Strategic processes include communications planning and generation of long-term activity plans. The primary benefit of this partition is to enable the tactical portion of the team to focus solely on tasks that contribute directly to meeting the deadlines for commanding the rover's each sol (1 sol = 1 Martian day) — achieving a turnaround time of 18 hours or less, while facilitating strategic team interactions with other organizations that do not work on a Mars time schedule.
This work was done by Deborah Bass, Sharon Lauback, Andrew Mishkin, and Daniel Limonadi of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For further information, access the Technical Support Package (TSP) free on-line at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under the Information Sciences category.
The software used in this innovation is available for commercial licensing. Please contact Karina Edmonds of the California Institute of Technology at (626) 395-2322. Refer to NPO-42471.
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Mission Operations of the Mars Exploration Rovers
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Overview
The document is a Technical Support Package from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) concerning the Mission Operations of the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER). It is identified by the NPO-42471 reference number and is part of the NASA Tech Briefs, which aim to disseminate aerospace-related developments that may have broader technological, scientific, or commercial applications.
The document outlines the operational processes and innovations associated with the MER surface missions, which have been pivotal in exploring Mars. The Mars Exploration Rovers, including Spirit and Opportunity, were designed to conduct extensive scientific investigations on the Martian surface, providing valuable data about the planet's geology, climate, and potential for past life.
The Technical Support Package emphasizes the importance of the MER mission in advancing our understanding of Mars and highlights the innovative technologies developed during the mission operations. These technologies not only contributed to the success of the rovers but also have implications for future space missions and other fields.
Additionally, the document serves as a resource for those interested in the commercial applications of the technologies developed through the MER missions. It encourages collaboration and partnerships through the NASA Innovative Partnerships Program, which aims to foster the transfer of technology from NASA to the private sector and other organizations.
For further inquiries or detailed information regarding the research and technology discussed in the document, the package provides contact details for the Innovative Technology Assets Management team at JPL. This includes a mailing address, phone number, and email for direct communication.
Overall, the Technical Support Package encapsulates the achievements of the Mars Exploration Rovers and underscores NASA's commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering innovation in aerospace technology. It reflects the agency's broader mission to explore space and enhance scientific understanding while promoting technological advancements that can benefit society at large.
