KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

Space Science Opportunities Augmented by Exploration Telepresence - Part II

July 11 - 13, 2017
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Workshop Overview:

The first workshop on Space Science Opportunities Augmented by Exploration Telepresence (October 3-7, 2016) was designed to:

  1. initiate a discussion of the penalties imposed on telerobotic scientific research on planetary surfaces by long communication delays (high latency) and limited information flow (low bandwidth); and
  2. imagine new telerobotic research modalities that feature the use of low-latency, high-bandwidth strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of telerobotic science.

Much of the first workshop explored how planetary field science has been done in the past, what recent advances have been made in low-latency telerobotics in other domains (e.g., surgery), and what kinds of planetary surface science might most benefit from low-latency, high-bandwidth science by telepresence (SBT). SBT may be particularly advantageous for three kinds of planetary field science.

  1. It may be the only way to do the highest-quality field science in environments which are so extreme that presently available technology will not offer suitable protection for on-site astronauts.
  2. It may be necessary to do research on transient events (e.g., cryovolcanic eruptions, or atmospheric phenomena such as dust devils), the timescales of which preclude effective study by high-latency telerobotics.
  3. SBT may permit more effective teleoperation of multiple, geographically distributed robotic assets on a planetary surface, enabling rapid, large-scale reconnaissance which could guide more detailed future research. 

In this second workshop, we will focus on the conceptualization of specific research projects that would address existing knowledge gaps regarding the development of advanced telerobotic assets and science operations protocols specifically for SBT. Building on these concepts, were expect to identify opportunities for SBT investment from NASA and other key governmental and private stakeholders.  Ultimately, our final report will outline the value of SBT and recommend strategies for its use to enhance planetary field science.


Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Space Science Opportunities
Augmented by Exploration Telepresence - Part II

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME

8:30 - 9:00

Registration, Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center

9:00 - 9:30

Workshop Logistics

Michele Judd

9:30 - 9:45

Participant Lightning Introductions

All
9:45 - 10:15

Summary of Outcomes from the first workshop

Team Leads

10:15 - 10:30

Desired Outcomes of the second workshop

Team Leads

10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:30

Essential questions raised at the first workshop and afterwards

- The hows and whys of field science by humans in the field, by high-latency robotic teleoperations, or by low-latency robotic teleoperations
- Teleoperation, supervised autonomy, or autonomy?
- Planetary protection
- The practicalities of low-latency telerobotics

All

12:30 - 2:00

Group Picture and Lunch at the Athenaeum

2:00 - 3:30

WORKING GROUP A - BREAKOUT SESSIONS


“Brainwriting” 1 – Recasting the most essential questions in the above categories

Working Group A evaluations – Identification of the five most essential questions in each category by category-specific working groups

Groups

3:30 - 4:00

Break

4:00 - 4:30

Report of working groups to the workshop community

Groups
4:30 - 5:30

Democracy in action – Identifying the five best questions overall

All
5:30 - 5:45

Establishing working groups for the remainder of the workshop

All
5:45 - 6:00

Pack up and walk to the Athenaeum

All
6:00 Dinner at the Athenaeum

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics, Recap of Day 1 and presentation of Day 2 marching orders

Michele Judd and Team Leads

9:15 - 10:30

Breakout WORKING GROUP B - BREAKOUT SESSIONS

“Brainwriting” 2 – Imagining Specific Research Initiatives

Working Group B evaluations and identification of the one or two best ideas

resume

All

10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 11:30

Report of working groups to the workshop community and feedback on nascent ideas

Groups

11:30 - 12:30

WORKING GROUP B - BREAKOUT SESSIONS

“Brainwriting” 3 – Research Proposal Outlines

Working Group B evaluations and identification of the one or two best research proposals (goals, activities or tasks, strategies for interpretation of results, anticipated obstacles, anticipated outcomes)

All
12:30 - 2:00  Lunch on your own
2:00 - 2:30

FREE THINK TIME (individual, or self organizing small groups)

All
2:30 - 3:30 Report of working groups to the workshop community and feedback on proposal outlines Groups
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 5:15

WORKING GROUP B - BREAKOUT SESSIONS

“Brainwriting” 4 – Refining Proposal Outlines

Working Group B evaluations and identification of the best articulation of goals, activities or tasks, strategies for interpretation of results, anticipated obstacles, and anticipated outcomes.

All
5:15 - 5:45 Presentation to the workshop community of the final proposal outlines Groups
5:45 - 6:00 Pack up and walk to Athenaeum All
6:00 Dinner at the Athenaeum (with spouses and significant others)

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics, Recap of Day 2 and presentation of Day 3 marching orders

Michele Judd and Team Leads

9:15 - 10:30 Review of Proposal Outlines All
10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 12:30

WORKING GROUP C - BREAKOUT SESSIONS

“Brainwriting” 5 – final refinement and wordsmithing of goals, activities or tasks, strategies for interpretation of results, anticipated obstacles, and anticipated outcomes

Working Group C evaluations and identification of the best articulations

Groups
12:30 - 2:00 

Lunch at the Athenaeum

2:00 - 3:00

Report of working groups to the workshop community and feedback on articulations

Groups

3:00 - 3:30

"Brainwriting" 6 – Outlining the final report from the notes/results of Workshops 1 and 2

Groups
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 4:45 Workshop community recommendations of the best one or two outlines for the final report
Discussion of possible illustrations
Advocacy Plan
All
4:45 - 5:00 Workshop Closeout Michele Judd
5:00 Workshop Concludes

Workshop Participants:

  • Dan Adamo - Astrodynamics Consulting
  • Bob Anderson – JPL
  • Stephen A. Bailey – Deep Space Systems
  • Jim Bell – Arizona State University
  • Dallas Bienhoff – Cislunar Space Development Company, LLC
  • John Blitch – U.S. Air Force Academy [WERC/AFRL]
  • Joel Burdick - Caltech
  • Matt Burkhardt – Caltech
  • Terry Fong – NASA Ames Research Center
  • Lou Friedman – The Planetary Society
  • Paul Glick – UCSD/JPL
  • Blake Hannaford – University of Washington
  • Kip Hodges – Arizona State University
  • José Hurtado - University of Texas at El Paso
  • Tom Jones – IHMC
  • Laura Kerber – JPL
  • Joseph Lazio – JPL
  • Daniel (Dan) Lester – Exinetics
  • Neal Lii – DLR
  • Mark Lupisella - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
  • Cameron Mercer – Arizona State University
  • Daniel Pastor Moreno – Caltech
  • Gregg Podnar – Accommodata Corporation
  • Julie Townsend - JPL