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Cabrol, Nathalie A.

Publications and source records attributed to Cabrol, Nathalie A..

14 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

Scientific Investigations Associated with the Human Exploration of Mars in the Next 35 Years

A human mission to Mars would present an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the earliest history of the solar system. This history that has largely been overwritten on Earth by active geological processing throughout its history, but on Mars, large swaths of the ancient crust remain exposed at the surface, allowing us to investigate martian processes at the earliest time periods when life first appeared on the Earth. Mars' surface has been largely frozen in place for 4 billion years, and after losing its atmosphere and magnetic field what re-mains is an ancient landscape of former hydrothermal systems, river beds, volcanic eruptions, and impact craters. This allows us to investigate scientific questions ranging from the nature of the impact history of the solar system to the origins of life. We present here a summary of the findings of the Human Science Objectives Science Analysis Group, or HSO-SAG chartered by MEPAG in 2015 to address science objectives and landing site criteria for future human missions to Mars (Niles, Beaty et al. 2015). Currently, NASA's plan to land astronauts on Mars in the mid 2030's would allow for robust human exploration of the surface in the next 35 years. We expect that crews would be able to traverse to sites up to 100 km away from the original landing site using robust rovers. A habitat outfitted with state of the art laboratory facilities that could enable the astronauts to perform cutting edge science on the surface of Mars. Robotic/human partnership during exploration would further enhance the science return of the mission.

Niles, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Adaptive Sensing of Time Series with Application to Remote Exploration

We address the problem of adaptive informationoptimal data collection in time series. Here a remote sensor or explorer agent throttles its sampling rate in order to track anomalous events while obeying constraints on time and power. This problem is challenging because the agent has limited visibility -- all collected datapoints lie in the past, but its resource allocation decisions require predicting far into the future. Our solution is to continually fit a Gaussian process model to the latest data and optimize the sampling plan on line to maximize information gain. We compare the performance characteristics of stationary and nonstationary Gaussian process models. We also describe an application based on geologic analysis during planetary rover exploration. Here adaptive sampling can improve coverage of localized anomalies and potentially benefit mission science yield of long autonomous traverses.

artificial intelligence↗
NASA NTRS2013

Texturecam: A Smart Camera for Microscale, Mesoscale, and Deep Space Applications

The TextureCam project is developing a 'smart camera' that can classify geologic surfaces in planetary images. This would allow autonomous spacecraft to collect data opportunisitcally during intervals between communications with Earth, such as during long traverses. Its surface classifications can identify new targets that were not anticipated in advance. The spacecraft might use this information to target these features with high-resolution instruments such as spectrometers nd narrow-field cameras. Classifications could also inform data 'triage' decisions, identifying high value images for prioritized downlink. Finally, the surface classification can serve as compressed maps of image content. Each of these strategies can improve the science data returned at each command cycle and speed reconnaissance during site survey and astrobiology investigation. Our first year of development has completed the image analysis algorithms and validated them in software tests. Here we survey these initial results and explore several application areas relevant to Mars and beyond.

Hyperspectral imagery↗
NASA NTRS2012

Smart Cameras for Remote Science Survey

Communication with remote exploration spacecraft is often intermittent and bandwidth is highly constrained. Future missions could use onboard science data understanding to prioritize downlink of critical features [1], draft summary maps of visited terrain [2], or identify targets of opportunity for followup measurements [3]. We describe a generic approach to classify geologic surfaces for autonomous science operations, suitable for parallelized implementations in FPGA hardware. We map these surfaces with texture channels - distinctive numerical signatures that differentiate properties such as roughness, pavement coatings, regolith characteristics, sedimentary fabrics and differential outcrop weathering. This work describes our basic image analysis approach and reports an initial performance evaluation using surface images from the Mars Exploration Rovers. Future work will incorporate these methods into camera hardware for real-time processing.

robotics↗
NASA NTRS2005

A multiparameter wearable physiologic monitoring system for space and terrestrial applications

A novel, unobtrusive and wearable, multiparameter ambulatory physiologic monitoring system for space and terrestrial applications, termed LifeGuard, is presented. The core element is a wearable monitor, the crew physiologic observation device (CPOD), that provides the capability to continuously record two standard electrocardiogram leads, respiration rate via impedance plethysmography, heart rate, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, ambient or body temperature, three axes of acceleration, and blood pressure. These parameters can be digitally recorded with high fidelity over a 9-h period with precise time stamps and user-defined event markers. Data can be continuously streamed to a base station using a built-in Bluetooth RF link or stored in 32 MB of on-board flash memory and downloaded to a personal computer using a serial port. The device is powered by two AAA batteries. The design, laboratory, and field testing of the wearable monitors are described.

NASA Center ARC↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Recent Mars Global Warming (MGW) and/or South Pole Advance (SPA) Hypothesis: Global Geological Evidence and Reasons Why Gullies Could Still be Forming Today

Hundreds of modern striped valleys, rock glaciers, debris-covered glaciers, and cryokarstic features localized in a strict latitude/altitude domain show a clear morphological and environmental continuum best explained by a recent climate change. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Cabrol, Nathalie A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

First Astronaut- Rover Interaction Field Test

The first Astronaut - Rover (ASRO) Interaction field test was conducted successfully on February 22-27, 1999, in Silver Lake, Mojave Desert, California in a representative planetary surface terrain. This test was a joint effort between the NASA Ames Research Center , Moffett Field, California and the NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. As prototype advanced planetary surface space suit and rover technologies are being developed for human planetary surface exploration , it has been determined that it is important to better understand the potential interaction and benefits of an EVA astronaut interacting with a robotic rover . This interaction between an EVA astronaut and a robotic rover is seen as complementary and can greatly enhance the productivity and safety of surface excursions . This test also identified design requirements and options in an advanced space suit and robotic rover. The test objectives were: 1. To identify the operational domains where the EVA astronauts and rover are complementary and can interact and thus collaborate in a safe , productive and cost- effective way, 2. To identify preliminary requirements and recommendations for advanced space suits and rovers that facilitate their cooperative and complementary interaction, 3. To develop operational procedures for the astronaut-rover teams in the identified domains, 4. To test these procedures during representative mission scenarios during field tests by simulating the exploration of a planetary surface by an EVA crew interacting with a robotic rover, 5. To train a space suited test subject, simulated Earth-based and l or lander-based science teams, and robotic vehicle operators in mission configurations, and 6. To evaluate and understand socio-technical aspects of the astronaut - rover interaction experiment in order to guide future technologies and designs. Test results and areas for future research in the design of planetary space suits will be discussed .

Kosmo, Joseph J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Concept Mapping as a Support for Mars Landing-Site Selection

The NASA Ames' Center for Mars Exploration (CMEX) serves to coordinate Mars programmatic research at ARC in the sciences, in information technology and in aero-assist and other technologies. Most recently, CMEX has been working with the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition at the University of West Florida to develop a new kind of web browser based on the application of concept maps. These Cmaps, which are demonstrably effective in science teaching, can be used to provide a new kind of information navigation tool that can make web or CD based information more meaningful and more easily navigable. CMEX expects that its 1999 CD-ROM will have this new user interface. CMEX is also engaged with the Mars Surveyor Project Office at JPL in developing an Internet-based source of materials to support the process of selecting landing sites for the next series of Mars landers. This activity -- identifying the most promising sites from which to return samples relevant to the search for evidence of life -- is one that is expected to engage the general public as well as the science community. To make the landing site data easily accessible and meaningful to the public, CMEX is planning to use the IHMC Cmap browser as its user interface.

Cabrol, Nathalie A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Candidate-Landing Sites and Backups for the Mars Surveyor Program in the Schiaparelli. Crater Region

Our Survey area comprises the Sinus Sabeus NW quadrangle that includes most of the Schiaparelli crater and part of the Arabia SW region (3 N to 15 S Lat.) and (0 to 337.5 W long.) and covers all regions that show a potential hydrogeological link with the Schiaparelli impact structure. This area is hereafter defined as the Schiaparelli Crater Region. The Schiaparelli crater region is one of the most documented MOC targets. Up to now, MGS MOC camera took two dozen images at an average of 5m/pxl resolution that not only provide an exceptional insight on the local geology and morphology, but give also key-elements to assess landing safety criteria. In addition, the MOLA topographic profile No. 23 passes through part of the crater basin allowing the adjustment of the elevation as previously known from the Viking mission (USGS I-2125, 1991). Beyond the Mars Polar Lander mission that will land next December, the future missions (2001 APEX, 2003, and 2005) are led by a series of science objectives and engineering constraints that must be considered in order to select landing sites that will fulfill the Surveyor Program's objectives. The search for a sound and safe candidate-site (without ending up with the usual "safe but boring" or "fascinating but too risky" site) is usually limited by the data available to the investigator, by the data accuracy (e.g. poor image resolution, poor altimetry), and the lack of crucial information for science and safety that can be derived from them. The Schiaparelli region provides an exception to this recurrent pattern. We listed the preliminary constraints for landing site selection identified for the Surveyor '01 mission, in terms of safety requirements and data needed and compared them against the existing information and/or data already available for the Schiaparelli region. The engineering constraints of '03 and '05 are not designated yet but, since they are also related to atmospheric density and Lander designs, we will assume that these points will be comparable to '01. The main difference will reside in the rover design, the Rocky-7 class rover being bigger than Marie Curie ('01) will be able to overcome bigger obstacles. We listed then the main objectives of the Surveyor Program and compared them with the potential offered by the Schiaparelli Crater Region to document them. Within the survey area, the Schiaparelli impact crater is 2.5 S/343.3 W (USGS 1-1376, MC-20 NW, 1981) and occupies a significant surface area. The crater has been proposed as a potential candidate-site in the past years. The purpose of this study is to show that, not only the Schiaparelli Crater would be a high-priority target, but that the region where it is located offer several very-high potential back-up sites, all within science and engineering constraints, that make this region probably the most promising candidate area so far.

Cabrol, Nathalie A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Mars Surveyor Program, Human Exploration Objectives and the Case for Gusev Crater

It has been demonstrated during the past years that by its configuration, extended history of water ponding and sedimentary deposition, Gusev crater is one of the most favorable sites to consider for the incoming exploration of Mars. It provides exceptional possibilities to document the evolution of water, climate changes, and possibly the evolution of life on Mars through time. Because of all these reasons, it is probably one of the most interesting sites to target for sample return missions and human exploration, but as well, it is by all means an excellent target for the Surveyor '01, in spite of the current imposed mission constraints, as we propose to demonstrate.

Cabrol, Nathalie A.↗