UMass Amherst Geologist Will Evaluate Astronauts’ Planetary Exploration Skills
Aug. 26, 2010
| Contact: | Janet Lathrop 413/545-0444 |
AMHERST, Mass. - As the new academic year opens next week, geologist and pilot Christopher Condit of the University of Massachusetts Amherst will begin by spending two intense weeks on a remote, high desert plateau with an unusual group of students: NASA astronauts-in-training preparing for human exploration of other planets.
The field exercises take place on a simulated alien planet in northern Arizona’s San Francisco volcanic field, about 30 miles southeast of the Grand Canyon. One main goal of the Desert Research and Technology Studies mission, or DRATS, to be held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, is to train teams consisting of a paired astronaut and geologist how to identify the most promising spots for collecting rock and soil samples from the planetary surface. Each two-person team will use both the lunar rover’s robotic arms as well as taking extra-vehicular forays in space suits, to collect samples.
One of Condit’s jobs will be to evaluate the teams’ plans and the samples collected to assess how well the mission’s science objectives were met. "Any criticism I offer will be in the spirit of enhancing their performance, making sure they understand how to do the best job possible on these tasks," he says.
Working sometimes together and sometimes independently, the two teams will spend 14 days using a map and other data to pilot two space exploration rovers and use specialized geological tools in systematic traverses across the planet’s surface. As they drive the rovers up and down steep slopes and over rough terrain at various speeds, the astronaut-scientists will also practice docking and undocking with portable utility pallets and a portable habitat.
In addition to his work on the science mission, Condit may also get involved with the Habitat Demonstration Unit, where much of the emphasis will be on evaluating what works best and what needs improvement with that unit and its power charging stations. As NASA’s plans for future planetary exploration take shape, field exercises such as DRATS under lunar-like conditions will provide essential practical lessons for dozens of astronauts, vehicle pilots, engineers and scientists who take part, he notes.
Condit, who as a young pilot helped transport geologists and crew members for NASA’s Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions, is passionate about space exploration. "We need to be inspired by dreams of our future on other planets. I think it nurtures our souls and is part of our spiritual development. It’s what makes us human. We are explorers," he says.
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