Droid Archives

Circles denote the location of eDNA samples collected and preserved by the ESP onboard Surveyor during its ~4200-km transit over 29 days (June 10–July 9, 2021) from San Francisco to the Hawaiian Islands. Transit across oceanographic domains, from the California Current upwelling system to the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, is represented by sea surface temperature (SST) from satellite remote sensing. Shown is the June 2021 average of multiscale ultra-high resolution (MUR) SST Analysis fv04.1, acquired from https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/index.html.

Analog Studies, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ocean Planet Exploration Droids: Autonomous eDNA Collection Using An Uncrewed Surface Vessel

by Keith CowingNovember 30, 2024November 30, 2024

The collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples is often laborious, costly, and logistically difficult to accomplish at high frequency in remote locations and over large geographic areas.

Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

NASA’s SWIM Robot on Glacial Ice in Alaska

by Keith CowingNovember 25, 2024November 25, 2024

A model of a tiny, wedge-shaped robot designed to explore subsurface oceans of icy moons, right, sits beside a large waterproof capsule containing electronics and sensors for testing below glacial […]

Astrobiology (general), Exploration Gear & Tech, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Mars Perseverance Rover Has Some Astrobiology Ink: A DNA Tattoo

by Keith CowingNovember 24, 2024November 24, 2024

Editor’s note: of course, this rover has a prime mission task of conducting Astrobiology research on Mars i.e. according to NASA it: “searches for signs of ancient microbial life, to […]

SWIM Submersible Droid Prototypes -- NASA Larger image

Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

NASA’s SWIM Submersible Droid Prototypes

by Keith CowingNovember 22, 2024November 22, 2024

Two prototypes for a NASA mission concept called SWIM (short for Sensing With Independent Micro-swimmers) are arranged beside a much smaller nonfunctioning model representing the final envisioned size of the […]

Conceptual image of EMRS on a crater slope of 25º -- astro-ph.EP

Artemis & Lunar Exploration, Exploration Gear & Tech, Moon, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report

Breadboarding the European Moon Rover System: Discussion and Results of the Analogue Field Test Campaign

by Keith CowingNovember 22, 2024November 22, 2024

This document compiles results obtained from the test campaign of the European Moon Rover System (EMRS) project.

A prototype of a robot designed to explore subsurface oceans of icy moons is reflected in the water’s surface during a pool test at Caltech in September. Conducted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the testing showed the feasibility of a mission concept for a swarm of mini swimming robots. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Cryobiology, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Icy Ocean World Explorers For Future Astrobiology Missions

by Keith CowingNovember 20, 2024

When NASA’s Europa Clipper reaches its destination in 2030, the spacecraft will prepare to aim an array of powerful science instruments toward Jupiter’s moon Europa during 49 flybys, looking for […]

Away Teams & Field Reports, Interstellar, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Interstellar Probe Remote Engineering: Voyager 1 Team Swaps Thrusters

by Keith CowingSeptember 13, 2024September 13, 2024

The spacecraft uses its thrusters to stay pointed at Earth, but after 47 years in space some of the fuel tubes have become clogged.

This view of the western edge of Mars' Jezero Crater shows the steep crater rim, which stands roughly 1,000 feet (300 meters) tall. -- NASA larger image

Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report

Astrobiology Droid Perseverance Is At The Base of Jezero Crater’s Rim

by Keith CowingSeptember 13, 2024September 13, 2024

The view looks northwest from the southern edge of the crater. A blue icon shows Perseverance’s general location as of Aug. 14, 2024, the 1,238th Martian day, or sol, of […]

As Juice flew just 6840 km above Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean, it snapped a series of images with its onboard monitoring cameras, and collected scientific data with eight of its ten instruments. Larger image

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Ganymede, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Jupiter, Missions & Hardware, Moon, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors, Venus, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Astrobiology Droid Update: Juice Rerouted To Venus After The First lunar-Earth Flyby

by Keith CowingAugust 21, 2024August 21, 2024

ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) has successfully completed a world-first lunar-Earth flyby, using the gravity of Earth to send it Venus-bound, on a shortcut to Jupiter through the inner […]

Example target map with labeled target names and corresponding activities from sol 102 tactical planning. MCAM = MastCam; SCAM = SuperCam; AZ = azimuth. -- Planetary Science Journal

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report

Comparing Rover and Helicopter Planetary Mission Architectures

by Keith CowingAugust 18, 2024August 17, 2024

The Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Network project field-tested planetary mission operations within a Mars analog environment in Iceland using stand-alone rover and helicopter architectures.