Director of HMP Dr Pascal Lee (NASA Ames, Mars Institute, SETI Institute) talks about research projects this field season at the Haughton-Mars Project.
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Copyright 2010 Mars Institute
July HMP 2010 archives | August HMP 2010 archives
Dr Matthew Deans, from the Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) at NASA Ames, introduces his team for the K10 Experiment this HMP field season, followed by a robot montage! The role of the K10 rover at HMP-2010 is to try to understand how to use a robotic rover to follow up behind humans. This experiment is led by Dr Terry Fong and his team at NASA Ames Research Center. They are remotely operating the K10 robot from Moffett Field, CA. The K10 is obtaining maps of the terrain above and below ground with a variety of instruments.
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| (Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
We are all grateful for the airlift support of the Air National Guard’s 102d Rescue Squadron, part of the 106th Rescue Wing based out of Long Island, NY. We’d like to thank in particular Col. Robert Landsiedel and his crew for their support and patience in Resolute Bay as they waited for the HMP-2010 field team to pull out in its entirety. We overnighted in Vancouver then went on to Moffett Field, CA. By now everyone has made it all the way home!
Please keep following www.MarsOnEarth.org for more updates, science reports, photos and videos in the next several days.
Pictured: (LtoR front): Elaine Walker (E/PO, HMP, Mars Institute), Jesse Weaver (technician), Valerie Meyers, Ph.D. (NASA JSC), Alex Whitworth (Explorer, Captain of the Berrimilla II), Lauren Artman (CSA), Parna Niksirat (SFU), Dr Pascal Lee, Director of HMP (NASA Ames, Mars Institute, SETI Institute) & Ping Pong (Pascal’s dog), Kira Lorber (Mars Institute, HMP Logistics Manager), 3 Herc crew members (LtoR) back: Dr Matthew Deans (NASA Ames), Dr Stephen Braham (Chief Field Engineer and Associate Director, HMP / SFU), Vik Kumar (SFU), Isaiah Mandryk (UBC), Col. Robert Landsiedel, Jeff Fagan (chef), Herc crew member, John Schutt (Camp Manager), 3 Herc crew members & Kyle Hruz (Herc Co-Pilot), Travis Oaks (technician), Brenden (Herc Load Master).
Alex Whitworth, an explorer and Captain of the Berrimilla II, was the first person to sail around the world by including the Northwest Passage. He talks about how Pascal inspired the route for his second circumnavigation with a hand drawn map, and signs a tshirt with Pascal’s map on the back.
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Copyright 2010 Mars Institute
July HMP 2010 archives | August HMP 2010 archives
Dr Stephen Braham (Chief Field Engineer and Associate Director, HMP / SFU), Dr Pascal Lee, Director of HMP (NASA Ames, Mars Institute, SETI Institute) and his dog, Ping Pong, are the only ones left on Devon and should be flying out very soon! The rest of Dr Braham’s crew, Isaiah Mandryk (UBC) and Vik Kumar (SFU), have just arrived, along with Jesse Weaver and Travis Oaks (technicians). We hope to see the remaining three shortly and all leave for Vancouver on the Hercules C-130 just after lunch.
UPDATE: We all made it to Vancouver and are staying at the Marriott!
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| Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
Seven more have finally arrived at Resolute Bay from Devon Island! Departing Devon Island were Parna Niksirat (SFU), John Schutt (camp manager), Jeff Fagan (camp chef), Saalia and Terry Pijaimini (both from Grise Fiord), Ben Audlaluk (from Grise Fiord) and Alex Whitworth (the first person to sail around the world by including the Northwest Passage)! They have joined Lauren Artman (CSA), Valerie Meyers, Ph.D. (NASA JSC), Dr Matthew Deans (NASA Ames) Kira Lorber (Mars Institute, HMP Logistics Manager) and [yours truly] Elaine Walker (E/PO, HMP, Mars Institute) in Resolute Bay.
We hope to see remaining six get to Resolute from Devon Island in the morning — Jesse Weaver and Travis Oaks (both technicians), Dr Pascal Lee, Director of HMP (NASA Ames, Mars Institute, SETI Institute), Dr Stephen Braham (Chief Field Engineer and Associate Director, HMP / SFU) and the remainig two on his team, Vik Kumar (SFU), Isaiah Mandryk (UBC). If all goes well, all will board the Hercules C-130 and overnight in Vancouver before flying to Moffett Field on the 17.
The seven who have just arrived are showering, eating and resting. We will get a group photo once they’re feeling refreshed!
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| Kira Lorber (Mars Institute, HMP Logistics Manager) and Hercules C-130 Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
The Hercules C-130 aircraft has arrived at Polar Shelf in Resolute Bay. Kira Lorber (Mars Institute, HMP Logistics Manager), Dr Matthew Deans (NASA Ames), Valerie Meyers, Ph.D. (NASA JSC), Lauren Artman (general ecologist, CSA) and [yours truly] Elaine Walker (E/PO, HMP, Mars Institute) are waiting patiently in Resolute Bay. We are waiting for the rest of the HMP participants to arrive from Devon Island. Weather has not been cooperative thus far. Once the rest of the HMP crew arrives, all will board the C-130 to Moffett Field. We hope to arrive in Moffett Field on the 15th. However, that is a big IF until the weather on Devon Island changes for the better. [I have just added that last sentence-EW]
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| Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
This HMP field season is wrapping up nicely and the size of the camp is shrinking as we near the end of the season. Dr Pascal Lee, Director of HMP (NASA Ames, Mars Institute, SETI Institute) will be writing a final summary. As well, more videos, photos and science reports will be posted over the next several days, so please keep checking www.MarsOnEarth.org!
There are still 13 HMP participants at the Research Station on Devon Island including Pascal, John Schutt (camp manager), Jesse Weaver and his assistant, Travis Oaks (technicians), Jeff Fagen (camp chef), Ben Audlaluk, Terry Pijaimini and his sister, Saalia Pijaimini (all 3 from Grise Fiord), Dr Stephen Braham (Chief Field Engineer and Associate Director, HMP / SFU) and his team of 3, Isaiah Mandryk (UBC), Parna Niksirat and Vik Kumar (both of SFU). Steve and his crew are taking down and packing the communications gear while the rest pack up the camp for the Winter. Also at camp is Alex Whitworth, the first person to sail around the world by including the Northwest Passage. We are glad that Alex has made it this year since he did not manage to last year.
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| Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
Valerie Meyers, Ph.D. (NASA JSC), Kira Lorber (Mars Institute, HMP Logistics Manager), Lauren Artman (CSA), [yours truly] Elaine Walker (E/PO, HMP, Mars Institute) and the K10 robot team including Dr Matthew Deans, Dr Trey Smith, Dr Hans Utz, Susan Lee, Vinh To and Eric Park (all of NASA Ames) are in Resolute Bay for two more nights. Peter Eckalook is also back in his home town of Resolute Bay and was greeted at Polar Shelf by his mother for a ride home via ATV.
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| Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
Kelsey Young (Ph.D. candidate at ASU), Dr Steve Hoffman (NASA JSC), and Vicky Glass (captain / HMP safety officer) have made it to their destinations. Dr Perry Johnson-Green (CSA) and Byron Adams (Ph.D. candidate at ASU) have flown out of Resolute Bay and are en route home.
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| (LtoR): Parna Niksirat (SFU), Dr Stephen Braham (Chief Field Engineer and Associate Director, HMP / SFU), Isaiah Mandryk (UBC), Vik Kumar (SFU) Copyright 2010 Mars Institute |
We have had a very successful field season this year! Our work has concentrated on furthering advanced Information and Computing Technologies (ICT) for next-generation spaceflight while supporting activities at HMP 2010.
The NASA K-10, Landing Site Survey (LSS), and Opportunistic Science activities have utilized SFU’s next-generation PlanetNet suite of technologies and architectures for their core communications support. In particular, data communications solutions in the field have reached the point where multiple 3D and HD video streams can be communicated across regional distances in future activities.
SFU has been working on a new project, called the GIGASOC, in which new technologies will be developed and supported to allow for the use of Gigabit per second (Gbps) trans-solar system communication technologies, for maximum exploration effect. This is a new game changing capability and requirement for future advanced human and robotic missions. There are several components to this work, some of which have taken place at HMP this season, other planned for future seasons, and other planned for other projects and locations.
Jeff Fagan, the camp chef for this HMP field season talks about his role at camp.
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Copyright 2010 Mars Institute
July HMP 2010 archives | August HMP 2010 archives