NEEMO 18–20: Analog testing for mitigation of communication latency during human space exploration

Abstract

NASA Extreme Environment Mission O perations (NEEMO) is an underwater spaceflight analog that allows a true mission-like operational environment and uses buoyancy effects and added weight to simulate different gravity levels. Three missions were undertaken from 2014-2015, NEEMO 18-20. All missions were performed at the Florida International University's Aquarius Reef Base, an undersea research habitat. During each mission, the effects of communication latencies on operations concepts, timelines, and tasks were studied. METHO DS: Twe lve subje cts (4 pe r mission) we re we ighed out to simulate near-zero or partial gravity extravehicular activity (EVA) and evaluated different operations concepts for inte gration and management of a simulated Earth-based science te am (ST) to provide input and dire ction during e xploration activities. Exploration traverses were preplanned based on precursor data. Subjects completed science-related tasks including presampling surveys, geologic-based sampling, and marine-based sampling as a portion of their tasks on saturation dives up to 4 hours in duration that were designed to simulate EVA on Mars or the moons of Mars. One-way communication latencies, 5 and 10 minutes between space and mission control, were simulated throughout the missions. O bjective data included task completion times, total EVA times, crew idle time, translation time, ST assimilation time (defined as time available for ST to discuss data/imagery after data acquisition). Subjective data included acceptability, simulatio n quality, capability assessment ratings, and comments. RESULTS : Precursor data can be used effectively to plan and execute e xploration trave rse EVAs (plans included de tailed location of science sites, high-fidelity imagery of the sites, and directions to landmarks of interest within a site). O perations concepts that allow for presampling surveys enable efficient traverse execution and meaningful Mission Control Center (MCC) inte raction across communication late ncies and can be done with minimal crew idle time. Imagery and contextual information from the EVA crew that is transmitted real-time to the intravehicular activity (IVA) crewmember(s) can be used to verify that exploration traverse plans are being executed correctly. That same data can be effectively used by MCC (across comm latency) to provide meaningful feedback and instruction to the crew regarding sampling priorities, additional tasks, and changes to the EVA timeline. Text / data capabilities are preferred over voice capabilities between MCC and IVA when executing exploration traverse plans over communication latency.

Integration of an Earth-based science team during human exploration of Mars

“…Our study design integrated our ConOps research questions with marine science objectives for the mission. The marinescience objectives included both new reef exploration with the intent to perform targeted sampling of specific marinescience species as well as revisiting of marine-science sites sampled during NEEMO 20 [11]. While performing new reef exploration, timelines were strategically designed to include different amounts of ST assimilation time within and across EVAs.…”

“…Mars mission ConOps, capabilities, and communication protocols have been tested and iteratively developed during previous analog tests. They include the results and lessons learned from previous analog tests, beginning with NASA's Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS, 2010-11) [7,8] and continuing through the Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP, 2011-14) [9], NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) missions 16-20 (2012-16) [10,11], and BASALT (2015-present) [12].…”

“…During the mission, the study team consistently applied a set of field-tested evaluation techniques that use surveys of acceptability, capability assessment, and simulation quality ratings [7,8,[10][11][12][14][15][16][17]. The surveys included individual and consensus ratings by the EV crew, IV crew, and ST team.…”

Human exploration missions to phobos prior to crewed mars surface missions

“…The IV crewmembers may alternate roles in 6-hr shifts between serving as science capsule communicator (CapCom) between an Earth-based science support team and the PEV crew, and performing exercise and general housekeeping activities; both habitat crewmembers may be needed during certain portions of the PEV exploration excursion, including during EVA. Previous analog field studies conducted with communication latency (between Earth and Mars), including the NASA Research and Technology Studies (RATS) and NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO), have clearly demonstrated the benefit of one or two IV crewmembers supporting EVAs, freeing the PEV crewmembers to focus on piloting and EVA tasks [18] [21]. After the PEV returns from its two-week excursion, all four crewmembers would remain at the habitat for three weeks, thus restarting the nominal exploration pattern.…”

Telecommunications on Earth and their possible relation with the anthropic principle

“…issue, engineers focus on how to handle communications in conditions of high latency and also of low bandwidth, those that will be present in the exploration of planets in our solar system (Beaton et al 2017;Chappell et al 2016). They assume this problem and try to optimize non-real time communications in the best conditions possible (Lester and Thronson 2011).…”