Sharon L. Laubach

The Rocky 7 rover: a Mars sciencecraft prototype

This paper describes the design and implementation at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of a small rover for future Mars missions requiring long traverses and rover-based science experiments. The small rover prototype, called Rocky 7, is capable of long traverses, autonomous navigation, and science instrument control. This rover carries three science instruments, and can be commanded from any computer platform from any location using the World Wide Web. In this paper we describe the mobility system, the sampling system, the sensor suite, navigation and control, onboard science instruments, and the ground command and control system. We also present key accomplishments of a recent field test of Rocky 7 in the Mojave Desert in California.

Enhanced Mars rover navigation techniques

Robust navigation through rocky terrain by small mobile robots is important for maximizing science return from missions to Mars. We are addressing this problem at multiple levels through the development of intelligent sequencing, sensor constrained path planning, natural terrain visual localization, and real-time state estimation. Each of these techniques is described and their complementary aspects discussed. Experimental results are provided from implementation on our Mars rover prototype operating in realistic scenarios.

Working the Martian night shift - the MER surface operations process

The Mars exploration rover mission has conducted continuous Mars surface operations for over 24 months to date. The operations processes and tools put in place before landing have continued to develop throughout the surface mission, evolving from a capability intended to operate for less than four months to one capable of continuing indefinitely. The MER operations design has been accepted as baseline for the Mars Science Laboratory mission, scheduled for launch in 2009. Our experiences during MERs exciting and unexpectedly extensive surface exploration phase may provide useful insights for other future long duration surface missions

RoverBug: Long Range Navigation for Mars Rovers

After Mars Pathfinder’s success, a demand for new mobile robots for planetary exploration arose. These robots must be able to autonomously traverse long distances over rough, unknown terrain, under severe resource constraints. We present the “RoverBug” algorithm, which is complete, correct, requires minimal memory, and uses only on-board sensors, which are guided by the algorithm to sense only the data needed for navigation. The implementation of RoverBug on the Rocky7 Mars Rover prototype at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is described, and experimental results from operation in simulated martian terrain are presented.