Desert Research and Technology Study 2003 Trip Report/ICES Paper

The Advanced Extra-vehicular Activity (EVA) team of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) Crew and Thermal Systems Division (CTSD) participated in the Desert Research and Technology Study (RATS) in September 2003, at Berringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona. The Desert RATS is an integrated remote field site test with team members from several NASA centers (Johnson Space Center; and Glenn and Ames Research Centers) and universities (Bowling Green State University, University of Cincinnati, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology) participating. Each week of the two-week field test had a primary focus. The primary test hardware for the first week was the Apollo 1-Gravity Lunar Rover Training Vehicle, or 'Grover', which was on loan to NASA from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Grover driving tests served as a baseline for the Science, Crew, Operations and Utility Testbed (SCOUT) project team. The team will be designing and fabricating a next generation roving vehicle proto-type in Fiscal Year (FY) 2004. The second week of testing focused on human-robotic interaction between the suited subjects and the EVA Robotic Assistant (ERA) and also focused on EVA geologic traverses utilizing a geologic sample field analysis science trailer. This paper reviews the Advanced EVA team's role in the context of the overall Desert RATS, as well as the EVA team results and lessons learned. Primary results include Grover suited driving ergonomics observations, suit field test system hardware performance issues, communication systems operation, and night EVA traverse illumination study findings. For information regarding other test participants' results, the authors has referenced the, "Lunar Rover Training Vehicle Meteor Crater Field Test Report" (JSC 62612).