Simulation to Evaluate Autonomous Behaviors for Mobile Planetary Surface Science Missions

The Science Operations On Planetary Surfaces (SOOPS) task was created with the goal of evaluating, developing and validating methods for increasing the productivity of science operations on planetary surfaces. The highly integrated spacecraft-instrument payload systems of planetary surface missions create operational constraints (e.g. power, data volume, number of ground control interactions) that can reduce the effective science capabilities. Technological solutions have been proposed to mitigate the impact of those constraints on science return. For example, enhanced mobility autonomy, robotic arm autonomous deployment, and on-board image analysis have been implemented on the Mars Exploration Rovers. Next generation improvements involve on-board science-driven decision-making and data collection. SOOPS takes a systems level approach to science operations and thus to evaluating and demonstrating the potential benefits of technologies that are already in development at the 'component level.