Field Report July 22, 2001 | NASA Haughton-Mars Project

Another great sunny day. Oz and Samson were off to the southern part of Haughton Crater for most of the day. In addition to carrying out geological surveys, their radio check-in calls (part of our field safety procedures) allowed us to test the performance of the HMP's new field safety radio system. Using a Kenwood TH-D7A(G) handheld 5-watt transceiver tuned to 144.200 MHz talking to an Icom satellite transceiver, they were heard loud and clear from over 13 km away.

The CMU Robotics Institute "Hyperion" rover completed its second autonomous 24-hour circuit successfully this afternoon. The RI team is now beginning preparations for departure from Haughton. They have created a remarkable roving platform capable of autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance, and solar tracking and power management among many other features, all critical elements that now open the way to robotic lunar polar and Mars polar surface exploration. More information on this achievement can be found on the Hyperion website listed below.

Charlie Cockell and I recorded a video message for the FMARS crew today with a request and instructions for a science traverse to be performed during a simulated EVA by the crew tomorrow. We suggested that they go explore a colossal impact ejecta block sitting on a hillslope in the western part of Haughton Crater in order to characterize its geology and biology. Their recordings will help us complete our current survey of large impact ejecta blocks at Haughton. The exercise was also instructive from the standpoint of remote planning of science operations for an exploration crew "on Mars".

Meanwhile, two helicopters were operating at the HMP Base Camp today. The Polar Shelf Long Ranger L4 continued supporting the aeromag survey which is now 80% complete as of this evening. The Noranda prospecting camp's Jet Ranger from Guardian Helicopters was also called in to support a Mars airplane imaging simulation and a geo-referencing survey led by Dr Kelly Snook of NASA Ames Research Center with operational support from Dr Alain Berinstain of the Canadian Space Agency, Dr Peter Smith of the U of Arizona, and John Schutt, HMP Base Camp Manager and Chief Field Guide. The imaging simulation and GPS data collected will be used in the next few weeks in a Mars exploration Science Operations support simulation to be conducted at NASA Ames Research Center with participation of HMP Science Co-Investigators in the US and the FMARS crews on Phases 4 and 5.

Late this afternoon I went on a geology traverse with Marco, Mark Webb, and Joannie Pudluk, a recent Yellowknife high school graduate and science major from Resolute Bay hired on our project this summer. Joannie will be entering the University of Alberta in Edmonton later this year and plans to study mechanical engineering. We entered the maze of canyons in the far western part of Haughton Crater and made our way to Agnes Rose Valley, a magnificient canyon with towering dolomitic cliffs and cavernous hollows. We were joined later by a Discovery Channel crew flying in the Jet Ranger to do some aerial filming as we headed back to Base Camp on our Kawasakis.

For dinner this evening we had chili con carne, baked potatoes, and sauteed onions. Chocolate cup cakes were contributed for dessert by Dr Brian Glass as we celebrated his birthday today. Brian then gave an excellent after dinner talk entitled "Mars Geosciences and Autonomy" in which he discussed the many areas of Mars exploration geology and geophysics that benefit already or will benefit in the near future from advances in information technologies and autonomy.

A First Air Twin Otter flew into camp late this evening with on board Lt Col. John Blitch of DARPA and his collaborator Mr. Arnis Mangolds. They will be deploying teleoperatable portable robot rovers in support of human exploration simulations in the days to come. Also on board the Otter was Pauline Akeeagok, a bright high school student from Grise Fiord, Ellesmere Island. Pauline is joining our project for two weeks.Guardian

Pilot Mike Koloff of Guardian Helicopters, Inc. standing by the Jet Ranger that supported the NASA HMP Mars Exploration Science Operations aerial imaging and survey on Devon Island today. For the occasion, the ship is flying HMP, SETI Institute and NASA colors.
(Photo NASA Haughton-Mars Project / Pascal Lee 010718)