Dear IEEE Huntsville Section Members, We are very excited to let you know about the creation of an IEEE Joint Robotics & Automation – Controls Systems (JRACS) Chapter in Huntsville. Effective February 8th, 2012, the former Control Systems Society (CSS) Chapter was expanded and became a Joint Chapter with the Robotics & Automation Society (RAS). Given the […]

D. K. Weiss, N. Levine, R. Nusbaum, N. D. Munster, L. G. Barajas, K. Wynne, A. Stein, and C. Runyon, “Mapping Rover Routes and Hydrous Soil Locations on the Mars Desert Research Station,” to be presented at the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC XLII), The Woodlands, TX, 2012. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2012/pdf/1950.pdf    

The MDRS rotation for our Crew (CIX) has come to an end, and it is time for all to move on and to look for other planets! The table below summarizes the Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) performed during the 2 week stay over the 2011 Christmas period (Dec 17-Dec 31).  And yes, we had almost 54 […]

The original Robonaut 2 (R2) is at the NASA-JSC in Houston, TX (Left). The second R2, originally intended for GM, ended up in the International Space Station (Right). There are two more R2’s, a flight copy of the one in the ISS, which is in Houston and the newest R2 which is at the GM […]

Written by: Aster Stein. Here it is, my final report as crew 109 journalist. This was our last full day at the hab, the two past weeks have gone by so fast. Everyone here is happy to go back home, but there is of course a tiny part of sadness that we have to leave […]

Today, David, Karon, and I did our final EVA by hiking  8Km to Skyline Rim and back. The three of us also did our first EVA together about 2 weeks ago.

Today, Nicky and Aster stayed at the HAB all day performing scientific experiments. Victoria and I headed to the highest point on the North Pinto Hills. In the afternoon I tested the improved controls and the micro-camera of our Mini Mars Rover.

Written by: Aster Stein. The am-EVA team made an interesting discovery today. After a short drive, an innocent hike to a high peak in the North Pinto Hills. It went very well, but near the top of the hill they found a bone sticking out from the ground. It must have been there for a while […]

Today,  Aster, Victoria and I traversed Mars Copernicus Highway. Our entire crew was also quite busy with experiments in the HAB ranging from water testing and time-lapse photography to soil cultures.

Written by: Aster Stein. The final stretch of crew 109’s stay at the MDRS is well under way. The biology team has finished their research on bacteria growth and tomorrow David will collect his last sample for his geology work. Nicky has spotted the first small green leaves in his plant growing project. Engineer Leandro has […]