>> NASA JET PROPULSION LABRATORY
PRESENTS THE VON KARMAN LECTURE.
SERIES OF TALKS BY SCIENTISTS
AND ENGINEERS WHO ARE EXPLORING
OUR PLANET, OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
>> WELCOME TO OUR MONTHLY SERIES
FROM NASA'S JET PROPULSIONSIONS
LABRATORY HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
I'M PRESTON DYCHES.
THIS MONTH, WE ARE SUPER EXCITED
BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING READY FOR
AN EPIC JOURNEY TO THE RED
PLANET.
BUCKLE UP, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING
TO MARS.
FOR THIS SHOW, WE HAVE TWO
SPEAKERS TO SHARE HOW THEY'RE
HELPING TO MAKE NASA'S NEXT
MISSION A REALITY.
YOU CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS VIA THE
CHAT.
I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE MY
COLLEAGUE FROM THE NASA MARS
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
SARAH MARCOTTE.
>> IT WILL BE MY ROLE TO TAKE
QUESTIONS FROM YOUTUBE AND
FACEBOOK.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO LOSE THE CHAT
WINDOW, JUST REFRESH YOUR
BROWSER.
>> THANKS.
GLAD TO HAVE YOUR HELP.
QUICK PROGRAM NOTE THAT WE FOUND
JUST IN THE PRESHOW CHECK OUT
FOR AV, WE HAD LITTL TROUBLE
WITH THE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
FOR OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
úWE HOPE .
WE HOPE YOU'LL HANG IN THERE
WITH US AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT.
HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING WILL BE
FINE.
NASA MARS 2020 MISSION IS
TARGETING A LAUNCH DATE OF
JULY 20th FROM CAPE CANAVERAL
IN FLORIDA.
ON BOARD THAT ATLAS FIVE ROCKET
WILL BE THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER.
IT'S THE LATEST IN NA'S LINING
OF ROBOTIC TO ROVE THE RED
PLANET AND TO EXTENDING OUR
SENSES AND PRESENCES TO THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
SARAH, YOUR TEAM IS WORKING ON A
BUNCH OF WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO
FOOW ALONG WITH THE MISSION
BOTH IN THE RUN UP TO LAUNCH AND
THE JOURNEY TO MARS.
>> SURE.
I WANTED TO TELL EVERYONE WHERE
OUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR RESOURCES
TO LAUNCH THE SITE WILL BE.
IT'S MARS.NASA.GOV/MARS 2020.
ON THIS WEBSITE, WE HAVE A PAGE
CALLED OUR LAUNCH COOL KIT.
IT'S JUST THAT.
IT IS A TOOL KIT THAT GIVE YOU
ALL THE TOOLS KNEW -- YOU NEED
TO WATCH THE LAUNCH.
OR YOU'LL BE WATCHING ONLINE.
I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT IN THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE'RE RELEASING
NEW EXPERIENCES.
IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO CHECK
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS AND CHECK
THE WEBSITE AGAIN AS WE RELEASE
THINGS IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP
TO OUR JULY 20 LAUNCH.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANKS A LOT.
THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
JUST REMEMBER TO FOLLOW
PERSEVERE ON TWITTER AND
FACEBOOK.
IT'S AN EXCITG TIME WHEN WE
HEAD OFF TO MARS WITH A NEW
MISSION.
OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BUILT UP
SOME EXPERIENCE IN LANDING AND
OPERATING SPACECRAFT ON THE RED
PLANET.
IT'S REALLY COMPLICATED, REALLY
HARD.
IT TAKES LOT OF PEOPLE TO
WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
NOW IN THE RUN UP TO LAUNCH, WE
TEND TO PLACE LOT OF FOCUS ON
THE ENGINEERING SIDE OF THINGS.
OF COURSE, THERE'S ALSO A LARGE
TEAM OF SCIENTISTS INVOLVED FROM
THE BEGINNING WHO REALLY HELP TO
SHAPE WHAT THE MISSION BECOMES.
EVERYTHING FROM WHAT SCIENCE
QUESTIONS WILL THE ROVER
INVESTIGATE TO WHERE SHOULD WE
LAND.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ONE OF
THOSE SCIENTISTS ON THE MARS
2020 MISSION
DR. BRIONY HORGAN IS
CO-INVESTIGATOR ON THE ROVER
CAMERA TEAM AND PROFESSOR AT
PURDUE UNIVERSITY IN INDIANA.
HEY BRIONY.
>> HEY, SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> GREAT.
THANKS SO MUCH.
YOU'RE A PLANETARY SCIENTISTS?
RIGHT?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND HOW DO
YOU SC DESCRIBE YOUR JOB?
>> IT'S ANY KIND O SCIENCE YOU
CAN IMAGINE, BIOLOGY TO
CHEMISTRY TO GEOLOGY AND PHYSICS
TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
HISTORY, EVERYTHING FROM DID
THEY SUPPORT LIFE.
IT'S PRETTY FUN JOB GET TO BE A
LOT.
I ACTUALLY DO PLANETARY GEOLOGY.
I USE IMAGES AND DATA FROM AT
LIGHTS THAT ORBIT AROUND PLANET
TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE PAST
GEOLOGY PLANETS LIKE MARS AND
THE MOON AND BACK HERE ON EARTH.
>> HOW DID YOU COME TO BE PART
OF THE MARS 2020 MISSION?
HOW DOES ONE COME TO BE A MARS
ROVER SCIENTIST?
>> JPL IS GOING TO BUILD OUT.
WE'RE REACH OUT TO THE SCIENCE
COMMUNITY TO COMPETE FOR
INSTRUMENTS.
BACK IN 2014, WE HAD A
COMPETITIVE GRANT COMPETITION
WHERE WE ALL THE SCIENTISTS GOT
TOGETHERND SPLIT UP INTO TEAMS
AND DEVELOPED INSTRUMENTS THAT
WILL HELP ADDRESS THE BIG
SCIENCE QUESTIONS WITH THIS
ROVER.
THEN NASA SELECTED THE ONES THEY
THOUGHT WERE THE MOST WILL BE
THE BEST ANSWERING THOSE
QUESTIONS.
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ON THE
CAMERA TEAM.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO MARS.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE
PERSEVERANCE AT ROVER.
WHAT ARE THE KEY THINGS PEOPLE
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROVER.
>> THIS ROVER IS ROBOTIC ASTRO
BIOLOGIST.
THE WHOLE GOAL IS TO LOOK FOR
SIGNS IN ANCIENT LIFE ON MARS.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
LOOKING FOR WATER ON MARS.
WE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS
ANCIENT MARS LIKE.
IT'S REALLY BEEN THIS BIG BUILD
UP ALL THE WAY FROM THE
PATHFINDER ROVER BACK IN THE
'90s TO THE SPIRIT AND
OPPORTUNITY ROVER BACK IN THE
EARLY 2000s.
TRYING TO LOOK FOR A SCIENCE OF
THAT ANCIENT WATER.
WAS MARS EVERY EARTH LIKE.
THAT WAS FOLLOWED UP BY THE
CURIOSITY ROVER.
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR
NOT MARS, COULD HAVE SUPPORTED
LIFE IF THEY WERE HABITABLE
ENVIRONMENTS.
NOW THAT WE'VE DONE ALL OF THAT
AND THE ROVERS AND WVE ALSO
HAD SATELLITES ORBIT AROUND M
MARS, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF
ANCIENT MICROBES THAT MIGHT HAVE
ONCE LIVE ON MARS.
IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO FIND SIGNS
IN MICROBIAL LIFE.
WE HAVE REALLY GREAT LANDING
SITE THAT WE CAN GO TO LOOK FOR
ANCIENT SIGN OF LIFE.
YOU BRING UP GRAPHIC O, YOU
CAN SEE A SHOT WHAT MARS 2020
WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND.
ROVER INVESTIGATING SOME ROCK ON
MARS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER.
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE
GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF THE SITE AS
WELL AS LOOKING FOR
BIOSIGNATURES.
IF YOU GO TO GRAPHIC TWO, HERE'S
WHERE THE ROVER WAS UNTIL
RECENTLY.
IT'S WHERE THE ROVER WAS
ASSEMBLED.
THIS PHOTO THE ROVER TAKING ITS
BABY STEPS BACK IN DECEMBER OF
LAST YEAR.
NOW IT'S BIN SHIPPED OFF TO THE
CAPE AND GETTING READY TO GET
LOADED ON TO THE ROCKET.
IF YOU GO TO GRAPHIC THREE.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE GREAT
INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD THE ROVER.
THE ROVER ITSELF, IT'S THIS
AMAZING ROBOTS CAN DO ALL THIS
GREAT WORK.
IT'S THE INSTRUMENTS WHAT THE
ROVER IS ABOUT.
THIS ROVER IS ASTROBIOLOGIST.
WE HAVE ALL KIND OF AMAZING
INSTRUMENTS LOOKING FOR TRACES
OF ORGANICS AT THE MILLIMETER
SCALE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR
EVIDENCE OF BIOSIGNATURES.
ALL KINDS OF INTERESTING THINGS
WITH REALLY HEAVY DUTY
MICROSCOPIC PAYLOADS.
THAT ARM IS 7 FEET LONG AND THE
STUFF ON THE END, WEIGHS ABOUT
AS MUCH AS A LAWNMOWER.
THEY'RE ABLE TO PLACE IT WITH
7-METER PRECISION.
THAT'S THE WORKHORSE.
THE INSTRUMENTS OUT ON THE ARM
WHICH IS AMAZING MICROSCOPIC
INSTRUMENTS THAT CAN MAP
ORGANICS AND CHEMISTRY AT THIS
FINE SCALE THAT HELP US LOOK FOR
SCIENCE PROOF.
THEY HAVE THE SAME CHASCY.
THEY HAVE THE SAME OVERALL
DESIGN.
IT'S DESIGNEDO LOOK AT THE
CHEMISTRY OF THE ROCK.
THAT'S WHERE THE SIGNS OF THAT
HABITABLE ENVIRONMENT TRAPPED.
WITHIN THE DETAILS OF THE THINGS
THAT MAKE UP THE ROCKS.
WITH MARS 2020, WE'RE LOOKING
FOR SIGNS IN ANCIENT BIOLOGY.
IT HAS A VERY SET OF
INSTRUMENTS.
>> IT IS A REMARKABLE LOOKING
PIECE OF MACHINERY.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR US
TO GO TO SARAH FOR OUR FIRST YES
QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.
WHAT YOU GOT FOR BRIONY?
>> I SAW SOME QUESTIONS COME IN.
THEY WERE RELATED VERY NICELY TO
WHAT BRIONY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
TAN ON FACEBOOK ASKS, HOW ARE
PERSEVERANCES DUTIES WHAT IS
GOING TO DO ON THE SURFACE OF
MARS DIFFERENT FROM CURIOSITY?
YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW THE ROVERS
LOOK SIMILAR, WHAT ARE THE TASKS
DIFFERENT WHEN PERSEVERANCE GETS
TO MARS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK ABOUT SAMPLE CAPTIONING.
IT'S NOT JUST DO THIS SCIENCE
INVESTIGATN ON THE GROUND WITH
THE ROCKS THERE, WE'RE GOING TO
BE SELECTING SAMPLES THAT WE'RE
GOING TO EVENTUALLY BRING BACK
TO EARTH.
WE'LL BE SELECTING PENCIL SIZE
DRILL SAMPLE OF ROCK THE ROVER
WILL BE DOING LOT OF THE -- IT'S
EXCITING FOR 2020, WE'RE GOING
TO B SAMPLING THOSE ROCKS TO
BRING BACK TO EARTH TO LOOK AT
IN OUR LABS BACK HERE ON EARTH.
THE REASON IF WE REALLY WANT TO
KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S
SIGNS OF LIFE TRAPPED IN THOSE
ROCKS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM
WITH EXTREMELY -- THE BEST
INSTRUMENTATION POSSIBLE.
IT'S HARD TO DO THAT KIND OF
WORK.
THAT'S THE NEXT STEP.
WE'RE GOING TO BE COLLECTING THE
SAMPLES AND THEN LATER, THERE'S
GOING TO BE A SERIES OF MISSIONS
THAT WILL HELP BRING THE SAMPLES
BACK TO EARTH.
IT'S A PRETTY TOUGH JOB.
NOT ONLY 2020 PERSEVERANCE ROVER
IS COLLECTING THE SAMPLES,
DOCUMENTING THEM AND HELP US
DECIDE WHICH ONES TO BRING BACK.
THEN WE HAVE TO LAND ANOTHER
ROVER ON THE GROUND THAT WILL GO
GET THOSE SAMPLE.
IT WILL HAVE TO BRING THOSE
SAMPLES BACK TO A LAUNCH
PLATFORM.
IT WILL HAVE TO LOAD THOSE
SAMPLES INTO A ROCKET, WHICH
WILL THEN LIFT OFF THE LAUNCH
PLATFORM BLASTING TO ORBIT.
RENDEZVOUS SATELLITE AND LAND ON
EARTH.
IT'S REALLY TOUGH.
THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS YOU HAVE
TO GO THROUGH.
WE'RE STARTING TO WORK ON.
NASA AND EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
STARTED WORKING ON THIS AND
PUTTING MONEY TOWARDS THIS AND
DEVELOPING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
>> BRIONY  YOU MENTIONED WORD
COUPLE OF TIMES.
YOU MENTIONED BIOSIGNATURE.
WHAT ARE BIOSIGNATURES A HOW
CAN THEY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND
TODAY WHETHER MARS HAVE LIFE
THREE OR FOUR BILLION YEARS AGO?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU GO TO GRAPHIC FIVE.
BIOSIGNATURES COULD BE DUE TO
LIFE.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS.
IT CAN BE THINGS LIKE CHEMICAL
ONES.TURES, ISOTOPES ARE COMMON
IT COULD BE NICE REALLY OBVIOUS
THINGS LIKE LIKE IN THE MIDDLE
LEFT, THAT'S A NICE BIOSIGNATURE
CREATED BY MICROBIAL MAT THAT
CREATE THIS -- IT LOOKS ALIVE.
IT COULD BE LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS.
MICROFOSSILS ARE GREAT EXAMPLE.
DIFFERENCE IS, WE WOULD LOVE TO
FIND THE DINOSAUR GOING ON MARS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR MICROBIAL
BIOSIGNATURES.
WE WILL DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO
CHARACTERIZE, ORGANICS AND
TEXTURES TO HELP US INDICATE
WHERE BIOSIGNATURES COULD BE ON
MARS.
>> WOW.
BEFORE WE GO TOO MUCH FARTHER,
SARAH, I WANTED TO ASK YOU, TO
MENTION THIS PERSEVERANCE HAS A
HELICOPTER TOO, RIGHT?
>> YES, IT DOES.
IT'S GOT A HELICOPTER RIDING ON
THE BELLY OF THE PERSEVERANCE
ROVER.
THE NAME IS INGENUITY.
IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS
OF THE SURFACE OPERATIONS OF
PERSEVERANCE.
WE'RE TALKING SOME TIME IN THE
SPRING OF 2021.
THAT HELICOPTER INGENUITY MAY
DEMONSTRATE FIRST POWER FLIGHT
ON ANOTHER PLANET.
HOW COOL IS THAT?
>> THAT IS SUPER COOL.
I WANTED TO MENTION THE
HELICOPTER.
I THINK LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
BECOMING AWARE THERE'S THE
HELICOPTER ON THIS THING.
BRIONY, DOES THAT PLAY INTO THE
SCIENCE OF THE MISSION?
>> WE'RE HOPING.
HELICOPTER IS TECHNICALLY IT'S A
TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION.
THE BASIC THING, WE CAN OPERATE
POWERED FLIGHT ON MARS.
WE CAN OPERATE HELICOPTER ON
MARS.
WE'RE HOPING THE HELICOPTER HAS
CAMERAS ON BOARD.
WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL HELP THIS
HELICOPTER IN THE FUTUR
MISSIONS, HELP BRIDGE THE GAP
BETWEEN OUR REALLY INCREDIBLE
IMAGES FROM SATELLITES AND
ORBIT.
JUST LIKE DRONES HERE ON EARTH
HELP YOU GET CONTACTS WHERE YOU
ARE.
GREAT FOR MAPPING, GREAT FOR
DOING GEOLOGY AND SIGNS TOO.
WE'RE HOPING THE HELICOPTER
INGENUITY WILL HELP US IN OUR
LANDING SITE.
>> YOU GAVE ME A PERFECT BRIDGE.
YOU WORK ON THE TEAM THAT IS
GOING TO TAKE ALL THE INCREDIBLE
IMAGES OF MARS WITH
PERSEVERANCE.
TELL US ABOUT THE CAMERAS, HOW
WILL THEY BE SIMILAR TO OR
DIFFERENT FROM CURIOSITY?
>> I'M ON THE TEAM.
THAT STANDS FOR MASS CAMERA
ZOOM.
WE HAD MASS CAMS ON CURIOSITY.
THEY WORKED REALLY WELL.
THEY'RE REALLY BEAUTIFUL COLOR
AND THINGS.
YOU SEE FROM THE CURIOSITY
ROVER, THEY WERE ALMOST ALL
TAKEN BY THE MASS CAM CAMERAS.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND SOMETHING
SIMILAR TO MARS.
EXCEPT WE HAVE BETTER ZOOM
CAPABILITIES WITH MASS CAM, WE
HAD THE EYES ONE STUCK ZOOMED IN
AND ZOOMED OUT ON PURPOSE.
WE CAN HAVE BEAUTIFUL 3D MOSAICS
WE CAN MAKE WITH THE TWO EYES.
I WORK ON IS MI MINERALLOLOGY, K
AT THE WAVELENGTH OF LIFE COMING
OFF ROCKS TONTIFY THEIR
MINERAL FIN FINGER PRINTS.
IT'S THE GEOLOGY WORKHORSE OF
THE MISSION.
>> CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT.
>> WE HAVE A REALLY NICE GRAPHIC
-- YOU CAN SEE THE MASS CAM.
YOU CAN SEE THE HIT OF
PERSEVERE, THAT'S PORT FOR A
LASER THAT'S FOR THE SUPER CAM
LASER INSTRUMENT.
BELOW THAT, THAT'S THE MASS CAM
Zs.
THE TWO EYES.
WE CAN DO STEREOIMAGING.
JUST LIKE YOU HAVE DEPTH
PERCEPTION OF YOUR EYES, MASS
CAM Z ARE ABLE TO GIVE UP DEPTH
PERCEPTION WITH THE ROVER.
>> VERY COOL.
IT'S TIME TO GO BACK TO SARAH
FOR ANOTHER QUESTION FROM OUR
LIVE AUDIENCE.
>> DOUG IS WONDERING ABOUT HOW
DO YOU PREVENT BIOLOGICAL
POLLUTION OR CONTAMINATION FROM
THE ROVER ON MARS?
I HEAR THERE'S SOME SORT OF
FIELD CALLED PLANETARY
PROTECTION?
CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT?
>> YES, PLANETARY PROTECTION IS
SOMETHING NASA TAKES SERIOUSLY.
IT MEANS YOU WANT TO PROTECT ALL
OF THE PLANETS.
BOTH EARTH AND MARS FROM EACH
OTHER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T
BRING ANYTHING DANGEROUS BACK
HERE TO EARTH.
WE MAKE EVERYTHING IS
QUARANTINE.
IF WE CAN WE STERILIZE IT.
WE BRING SAMPLES BACK FROM MARS.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE
INHABITED WITH MODERN LIFE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO
MAKE SURE THE ROVER ITSELF IS
NOT QUITE STERILE BUT AS CLEAN
WE CAN GET IT WITHOUT NOT
DAMAGING THE INSTRUMENT.
EVERY SINGLE PIECE O HARDWARE
ON THE ROVER IS CLEANED AND
DOCUMENTED.
WE TRY TO BRING AS FEW BUGS WITH
THIS AS POSSIBLE TO MARS.
PARTLY TO PROTECT ECOSYSTEM.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T
OVERPOWER ANYTHING THAT'S LIVING
THERE TODAY.
THERE MIGHT BE LITTLE BUGS IN
SUBSURFACE NEAR THE POLAR CAPS
ON MARS.
WE'RE NOT SURE.
SO THAT IF WE GO THERE AND WE
SEE SIGNS OF LIFE, WE CAN TELL
FOR SURE IT'S NOT FROM EARTH.
WE KNOW IT'S ACTUALLY NATIVE
MARTIAN LIFE.
WE HAVE AN OFFICER PLAN STORY
PROTECTION.
>> ANOTHER COOL JOB TITLE AT
NASA PLANETARY PROTECTION
OFFICER.
THIS IS SUPER COOL.
GREAT QUESTION, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION
THE SCIENCE TEAM MEMBERS.E OF
TELL US ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
>> HOW DO YOU TAKE THE ONE PLACE
ON MARS YOU WILL COLLECT THE
MAYBE ONLY SAMPLES YOU GET FROM
THE PLANET.
IF YOU HAD TO PICK ONE PLACE ON
EARTH TO PICK BUNCH OF ROCK
SAMPLES TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE
ENTIRE GEOLOGIC HISTORY, WHERE
WOULD YOU GO?
THAT'S REALLY HARD.
THIS WAS A HARD QUESTION.
NASA LIKES TO BE OPEN AS
POSSIBLE.
NASA PLANNED OPEN CALL TO OPEN
SCIENCE COMMUNITY TO PROPOSE
LANDING SITES.
WE STARTED OUT WITH 60 DIFFERENT
LANDING SITES PROPOSED ON MARS
FOR THIS MISSION.
WE WANT TRY TO DO SOMEWHERE THAT
HAS GOOD CHANCE OF PRESERVING
THOSE IMAGES.
WE DECIDED TO GO ANCIENT ON
MARS.
>> COOL.
60 DOWN TO ONE.
IT MUST HAVE BN OUR CHOICE.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU IN ADDITION
TO JUST ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT YOU DONE AS A MEMBER OF THE
SCIENCE TEAM AND MAKING THIS
MISSION WHAT IT IS.
IN ADDITION TO THE LANDING SITE,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER
THINGS YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS HAD
TO WORK ON TOGETHER ALONG THE
WAY?
>> FIRST OFF, WE'RE STILL
WORKING ON THE LANDING SITE.
BLUE IS LOW AND YELLO IS HIGH.
CRATER ITSELF WITH ALL THAT BLUE
INDICATING THE FLOOR AND THE RIM
SURROUNDING IT.
WHAT'S REALLY UNIQUE ABOUT IT.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT, THIS
CHANNEL LEAPING IN THE CRATER.
ANOTHER ONE ON THE UPPER RIGHT.
THOSE ARE ANCIENT RIVERS THAT
HAVE BEEN CARVED INTO THE RIM
AND CREATED A CRATER.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT GRAPHIC 9.
YOU'LL SEE A NICE MAP OF THE
CRATER.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, SO
THE GRAY SCALE BACKGROUND,
THAT'S JUST A BLACK AND WHITE
IMAGERY FROM OUR SATELLITES IN
ORBIT.
COLORS ON TOP OF THAT ARE COLORS
FROM ONE OF OUR -- GREEN
INDICATE CARBONATED ROCK.
RED IS TELLING US ABOUT ALL OF
THE MINERALS IN THE SALT.
COOLEST THING IS THIS GIANT
FEATURE.
THAT'S AN ANCIENT RIVER DELTA.
THAT'S A RIVER COMING FROM THE
UPPER LEFT.
CREATED A LAKE AND DUMPED ALL
THE SEDIMENT IT WAS CARRYING OUT
INTO THAT BIG RIVER DELTA.
JUST LIKE THE MAP OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER WHERE YOU HAVE
BIG DELTA'S FORMING.
YOU CAN SEE THE LANDING SITE ON
TOP OF THAT.
THIS LANDING SITE IS EXCITING
BECAUSE WE HAVE REALLY CLEAR
EVIDENCE OF THIS ANCIENT LAKE
EXIST THAT WE HAD PERSISTENT
LIQUID WATER TO CREATEHIS
ANCIENT DELTA TO HAVE WATER FLOW
INTO THE CRATER, CREATE A LAKE
AND OVERFLOW OUT ON THE OTHER
SIDE.
WE SEE LOTS OF COOL MINERAL
EVIDENCE FOR WATER HERE.
THOSE GREEN ROCKS, THOSE ARE THE
CARBONATES.
THEY FORM IN WATER.
IN THIS CASE, WE THINK SOME OF
THE CARBONATES THAT GREEN RING
BEHIND THE DELTA, MIGHT FORMED
AT THE SHORES OF THIS ANCIENT
LAKE.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
THAT'S KIND OF PLACE YOU WOULD
GO TO LOOK FOR MICROBIAL
BIOSIGNATURES IN LAKE ON EARTH.
WE'VE BEEN DOING LOT OF WORK ON
THE TEAM TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND
HOW WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THE
SITES.
YOU CAN SEE ONE IDEA, ABOUT A
YEAR AGO FOR WHAT A TRAVERSE
THROUGH THIS LANDING SITE MIGHT
LOOK LIKE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING
TO LAND.
WE HAVE KIND OF TWO IDEAS IF
ELAND ON THE LEFT SIDE OR RIGHT
SIDE OF THE CRATER.
IN PARTICULAR GET SAMPLE FROM
FOR EVENTUALLY MARS SAMPLE
RETURN.
WE'RE HOPING TO EXPLORE THE
DELTA, SORT OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE DELTA.
WE SEE EVIDENCE FOR RIVER
CHANNELS AND MUDS AND DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTS THAT USED TO EXIST.
EVENTUALLY UP INTO THE CRATER
RIM, WE SEEN SIGNS FROM THERMAL
SYSTEMS THAT HELP PRESERVE SIGNS
OF LIFE IN WARM HABITABLE
ENVIRONMENTS.
GRAPHIC 12, YOU CAN SEE
SIMULATED ROVER OUT IN THE
DESERT OF UTAH.
ONE OF THE WAY WE CREATE ROVER
AND TAKE DATA FOR US.
SEND IT BACK TO THE TEAM AND
TREAT IT LIKE DATA FROM MARS.
PUTS TOGETHER PLANS FOR
úINVESTID
LOOKING FOR BIOSIGNATURES ON
EARTH.
A SITE THAT HAS CHARACTERISTICS
SIMILAR TO MARS.
THIS IS AN ANCIENT LAKE MUD
LOOKING AT HERE AN INCH THAT WE
PRETENDING TO EXPLORE WITH OUR
PEOPLE POWER ROVER.
>> CLEARLY, THERE'S A GROUP
BUILDING THE ROVER.
THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE
FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT
AND WHERE TO SEND IT AND HOW TO
OPERATE IT.
REALLY EXCITING TIME.
I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL THE
TIME WE HAVE FOR TALKING WITH
YOU RIGHT NOW BRIONY.
WE REALLY WANT T WISH YOU AND
YOUR SCIENCE COLLEAGUES ON THE
MISSION THE BEST FOR LAUNCH
LANDING AND ROVER ON MARS.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
THANK YOU.
EARLIER, I MENTIONED THE
ENGINEERING SIDE OF MAKING A
MARS ROVER WHICH INVOLVES A LOT
OF TESTING.
BEFORE WE MEET OUR SECOND
SPEAKER WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO
THAT SHOWS BEHIND THE SCENES
PEEK AT THE BUILDING TESTING OF
MARS.
TAKE A LOOK.
[VIDEO]
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE
ABOUT THAT VIDEO IS THAT YOU GET
A REAL SENSE OF THE HUMAN SCALE
OF THE MISSION.
NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL SIZE OF
THE ROVER, WHICH IS A BIG PIECE
OF MACHINERY, A FEEL FOR ALL THE
HARD WORKING HUMANS WHO ARE
BEHIND THE EFFORT TO PUT IT ON
MARS.
AS PART OF THAT EFFORT, WE HAVE
THESE VERY SPECIAL PLACES AT
NASA JPL THAT WE CALL TEST BEDS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ONE OF THE
HUMANS WHO'S HELPING TO GET
PERSEVERANCE READY FOR ITS
MISSION.
ARMEN TOORIAN IS THE LEAD FOR
THE SYSTEM TEST BED FOR THE MARS
2020 MISSION.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOB AT JPL.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
>> I'M THE TEST BED LEAD FOR THE
MARS 2020 SYSTEM TEST BED.
THAT'S VERY SPECIAL PLACE WHERE
WE GET TO TEST EVERYTHING FROM
LOW LEVEL ONES AND ZEROS ALL THE
WAY UP TO COMPLICATED BEHAVIORS
LIKE IS THE ROVER ABLE TO
NAVIGATE ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
ARE WE GOING TO LAND ON SURFACE.
IT'S A SPECIAL LAB WITH A LOT OF
EXCITING HARDWARE AND TESTING
THAT WE DO TO COVER ALL THE
DIFFERENT THINGS WE NEED TO
IMPROVE.
>> IT'S INCREDIBLY COMPLEX
STUFF.
YOU ARE NOT A ROVER NEWBIE, YOU
WORK ON CURIOSITY AS WELL?
>> YES, I WORKED ON THE
CURIOSITY MISSION.
I WORKED IN THE TEST BED ON THE
ENTRY TO LANDING SYSTEM.
NOW I'M RUNNING THE LAB WHERE
WE'RE DOING MOST OF THAT
TESTING.
>> I ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION TO
BRIONY EARLIER.
I WANT TO ASK YOU AS WELL.
HOW DOES ONE GET TO BE AN
ENGINEER WHO TEST ROBOTS THAT
FLY TO MARS?
>> I'M THE MECHANICAL ENGINEER I
LOVE ROBOTS AND SPACE EVER SINCE
I WA A LITTLE KID.
I KNEW FROM VERY EARLY ON THAT I
WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH BOTH
OF THOSE.
THERE AREN'T THAT MANY JOBS
WHERE YOU GET TO DO THAT.
JPL WAS KIND OF A NATURAL FIT
FOR ME.
WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, I WORKED
ON THESE LITTLE THINGS CALLED
CUBE SETS.
TINY LITTLE SATELLITES.
I DID INTERNSHIP HERE AT NASA
JPL AND FELL IN LOVE.
AFTER I GRADUATED, I APPLIED.
>> WHAT IS A TESTBED?
WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?
TESTBEDS ARE COMMON.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN TEST
SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE BUILDING.
THEY GO FROM LOW LEVEL THINGS
LIKE COMPUTERS OR MOTORS ALL THE
WAY UP TO SYSTEM TESTBEDS.
WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF THE
HARDWARE, ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT
AND ALL THE PARTS THAT WILL GO
INTO ROVER IN A SPACECRAFT ALL
CONNECTED TOGETHER.
WE TEST THEM ALL AS ONE VENUE,
ONE TESTBED.
WE CAN DO THINGS WHERE WE HAVE
THINGS THAT INTERACT TOGETHER.
THERE'S ABOUT 50 COMPUTERS ON
THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER.
THEY ALL HAVE TO TALK TO EACH
THAT'S REALLY COMPLICATED.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS
THAT WE DO IN THESE SYSTEM
TESTBEDS.
>> SOUND LIKE A VERY BUSY PLACE.
WHY DON'T WE GO TO SARAH FOR OUR
FIRST QUESTION.
>> SO GLAD THAT YOU ASK ARMEN
HOW IT IS THAT HE BECAME A
MECHANICAL ENGINEER AT JPL.
WE HAD A QUESTION RELATED TO
THAT.
ALLAN ON FACEBOOK WANTED TO KNOW
ENTRY LEVEL MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
ARE ABLE TO WORK ON SOME OF
THESE MISSIONS.
YES, ENTRY LEVEL PEOPLE CAN WORK
AND DO THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND
LOTS OF INTERNS AND JPL INTERNS
HAD SIGNIFICANT ROLES ON OUR
MISSIONINGS.
MISSIONS.
HOWEVER, FROM ROCKY ON YOUTUBE.
HE'S WONDERING ABOUT THE WHEELS.
HOW THE WHEELS OF PERSEVERANCE
WERE REDESIGNED.
HOW THESE WHEELS RESIST SOME OF
THE WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE THAT
CURIOSITY ROVER FACE.THAT'S A G.
ONE OF THE TESTBEDS IS SOMETHING
WE CALL A VEHICLE SYSTEM
TESTBED.
THAT'S WHERE WE ASSEMBLED STUNT
LEVEL  THE REAL ROVER.
IT IS A COMPLETE ROVER.
EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
FLYING.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT STAYS HERE
ON EARTH.
WE CAN TEST WITH IT.
ONE OF THE PLACES WE DO THIS
TESTING IS CALLED THE MARS YARD.
IF YOU BRING UP GRAPHIC 22, YOU
CAN SEE PICTURE OF THAT.
THIS IS BASICALLY A BIG LOT WE
HAVE ON THE JPL CAMPUS.
IT'S LIKE A PLAYGROUND FOR MARS
ROVER.
WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF DIRT THAT
WE CAN PUSH AROUND WITH TRACTORS
AND MAKE HILLS AND DIFFERENT
GRADE AND MATERIAL.
WE HAVE ROCKS WE CAN PLACE AS
OBSTACLES.
WE DO LOT OF OUR TESTING HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND WITH
THE CURIOSITY ROVER, THE WHEELS
ARE DESIGNED TO BE REALLY LIGHT
WEIGHT AND STRONG.
WE DEFINITELY UNDER ESTIMATED
THE SHARPNESS AND THE HARDNESS
OF THE ROCKS ON THE SURFACE.
WE STARTED GETTING HOLES IN
THESE ROCKS.
CURIOSITY HAS BEEN ON MARS FOR A
LONG TIME NOW.
THE WHEELS STILL WORK, THEY ARE
STARTING TO GET WORN OUT.
THERE WAS A BIG REDESIGN EFFORT
THAT WAS DONE FOR THE
PERSEVERANCE MISSION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE USED, YOU
PULL PICTURE 17, WE HAVE THIS
ROVER THAT'S ALSO A TESTBED.
THIS IS SOME OF THE TESTING THAT
WE'VE DONE TO END UP WITH THE
WHEEL DESIGN THAT WE HAVE FOR
THIS VISION.
>> I'VE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS, I
THINK IT'S SUPER COOL THAT WE
HAVE PLACE CALLED THE MARS YARD.
SO NEAT.
VEHICLE SYSTEM TESTBED.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THAT'S ONE IMPORTANT TESTBED.
BUT THERE ARE OTHERS AT NASA JPL
FOR THE WORK YOU'RE INVOLVED IN
RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
WE HAVE COUPLE OTHER TESTBEDS WE
USE FOR ALL OF THE OTHER TYPE OF
TESTING.
WE HAVE ALL THE HARDWARE FROM
THE COMPUTERS AND THE SENSORS TO
NAVIGATE TO MARS AND PULL OFF A
LANDING ON MARS.
WE HAVE SIMULATION SUPPORT
EQUIPMENT.
THAT HARDWARE, WHICH IS ALL
SITTING ON A BENCH, IS NOT VERY
USEFUL IF YOUR STAR SCANNER
POINTED AT A WALL.
YOU'RE MEASURING THE GRAVITY OF
EART INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU'RE
MEASURING AS YOU'RE ENTERING THE
ATMOSPHERE.
FEEDING THAT INFORMATION BACK IN
THE SENSORS.
YOU CAN SEE THE STARS ON ITS WAY
THERE.
THE LANDING RADAR WILL ACTUALLY
GET RADIO WAVES AS IF IT SEEING
SURFACE OF MARS.
NOT ONLY CAN WE TEST THE
COMPUTERS THAT ARE ENABLING ALL
THIS TO HAPPEN, WE'RE TESTING
THOSE COMPUTERS TALKING TO THE
SENSORS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
ENABLING THIS MISSION.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THESE SYSTEM
TESTBEDS SPECIAL.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING THERE AND WE
HAVE ALL OF THE SIMULATIONSHAT
LED US MAKE THE HARDWARE PRETEND
LIKE ANY POINT IN OF THE
MISSION.
>> CAN I POKE AT THIS LITTLE BIT
MORE.
WHEN YOU FIRST TALKED ABOUT YOUR
WORK FEW WEEKS AGO.
I THOUGHT IT WAS FASCINATING
THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO USE THESE
SYSTEMS AS A SORT OF LIKE FLIGHT
SIMULATORS.
FOR THE TEAM AS WELL.
YOU CAN DO SIMULATIONS FOR YOUR
TEAM AND THE OPERATION FOLKS
AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO OPERATE
THE MISSION.
YOU CAN ALSO DO SIMULATIONS FOR
THEM TO KIND OF RUN THE TEAM
THROUGH THEIR PACES.
>> SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
AS WE HEARD IN BRIONY'S SESSION,
THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING THAT
HAPPENS TO GET THE TEAM READY
FOR THESE MISSIONS.
IT'S JUST A REALLY COMPLICATED
MACHINE AND LEARNING HOW TO
OPERATE IT AND PLANNING OUT WHAT
IT WILL DO DAY-TO-DAY IS
COMPLICATED.
WE HAVE THE OPERATIONS TEAM.
FOR EXAMPLE LAUNCH WE'RE
PREPARING FOR COMING UP SOON.
LANDING IN OTHER KEY ACTIVITIES
AND WE USE TESTBED TO SIMULATE
THE REAL SPACECRAFT.
THE OPS TEAM IS FLYING THAT
TESTBED INSTEAD OF THE REAL
THING.
IT LOOKS SIMILAR.
SOME WAYS IT LOOKS IDENTICAL.
WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE PRACTICE
THEIR DECISION-MAKING ABILITY.
WE CAN PRACTICE TIMING OF
FFERENT EVENTS THAT WILL
HAPPEN, SENDING COMMANDS.
>> I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER
QUESTION FROM ARMEN.
>> WHAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES
ARE TO DESIGNING A VEHICLE THAT
CAN FUNCTION ON A FOREIGN
PLANET?
MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE
CONDITIONS ON MARS THAT THOSE
ROVERS HAVE TO FACE.
>> THERE ARE LOT OF DIFFERENT
CHALLENGES.
EVERY PLANET HAS UNIQUE SET OF
CHALLENGES.
WE'LL FLY TO MARS.
THOSE WHOLE ANOTHER SET OF
CHALLENGES FOR MISSIONS GOING TO
JUPITER AND OTHER PLACES.
SOME THINGS ARE UNIVERSAL.
OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE AIR.
ON THE SURFACE OF MARS, WE ONLY
VE AN ATMOSPHERE THAT'S ONE
PERCENT AS THICK AS ON EARTH.
THERE'S ALMOST NO AIR.
YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.
AIR MOVES HEAT.
GETTING HEAT OUT OF YOUR
ELECTRONICS AND COMPUTERS, CAN
BE TRICKIER.
WE HAVE PUMPS THAT PUMP FLUID
THROUGH THE ROVER TO COOL IT
DOWN.
ALSO THE DUST ON MARS IS VERY
FINE.
IT GETS IN EVERYTHING.
ALL OUR GEARBOXES AND MOTORS AND
ALL THOSE THINGS THAT NEED TO
MOVE AND DO ALL THESE
COMPLICATED ACTIVITIES, DESIGN
TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THAT.
ALONG WITH THAT TEMPERATURE.
MARS GETTING REALLY COLD AND
REALLY HOT TOO.
NONE OF US WOULD SURVIVE A
MINUTE ON THE SURFACE.
WE HAVE TO DESIGN ALL OF THIS
HARDWARE TO BE ABLE TO WORK.
THINGS LIKE OIL YOU PUT IN YOUR
CAR WOULD FREEZE ON MARS.
RADIATION IS ANOTHER ONE.
YOUR CELL PHONE WOULD LAST MAYBE
A DAY UP THERE.
WE HAVE TO DESIGN ALL THESE
COMPUTERS TO WITHSTAND
RADIATION.
THERE ARE LOT OF UNIQUE
CHALLENGES TO DESIGNING
SOMETHING THAT WORK IN SPACE OR
WORKS ON ANOTHER PLANET.
>> SARAH, YOU HAD A FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION?
>> IT WASN'T A FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION.
IT'S A QUESTION I HEARD A LOT
BEFORE.
IT'S A COMMON ONE.
HIGH FLIER AND YOUTUBE IS WONDER
HOW FAST THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER
WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE ON MARS.
>> THAT'S A REALLY GREAT
QUESTION.
WHEN THINGS GET BACK TO NORMAL,
IF YOU COME VISIT JPL, YOU MIGHT
SEE THIS ROVER DRIVING AROUND ON
MARS YARD.
AS YOU NOTICED SOME OF THE
VIDEOS.
EVERYTHING IS SPED
EVERYTHING IS DONE REALLY
SLOWLY.
WE WERE DRIVING ABOUT 100 FEET
OR SO A DAY AND I THINK WE'RE
EXPECTING TO DOUBLE THAT.
IT DOESN'T SAME LIKE A LOT.
YOU HAVE TO FACTOR THAT THAT T
ROVER HAS TO DO ALL THIS
AUTONOMOUSLY, WE HAVE NO
INTERVENTION.
IT CAN TAKE BETWEEN 14 MINUTES
TO HALF HOUR TO GET A SIGNAL TO
MARS.
WE CAN'T DRIVE THE THING LIKE A
REMOTE CONTROL CAR.
IT HAS TO PROCESS THOSE IMAGES
AND CREATE 3D MAPS TO WHERE ALL
THE ROCKS AND CLIFF.
TO IMPROVE DRIVING PERFORMANCE,
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS ADD
ANOTHER COMPUTER, VISION
COMPUTER ELEMENT.
IT'S A POWERFUL GRAPHICS CART.
IT WILL PROCESS THOSE IMAGES FOR
US.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO COVER MUCH MORE
DISTANCE.
[INDISCERNIBLE]
>> NOT LIKELY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THINGS
QUICKLY EITHER.
WE DON'T REALLY GET A CHANCE TO
GO AND FIX STUFF IF WE GET IT
WRONG.
WE GET TO COMMAND THIS THING
ONCE A DAY USUALLY.
WE G GET TELEMETRY BACK ONCE A
DAY.
>> ARMEN, YOU TOLD ME ABOUT A
THING THAT YOU GUYS DO CALLED
SHADOWING.
SUPPORTING THE OPERATIONS TEAM.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT IS?
>> SHADOWING WHAT WE REFER TO AS
MIRRORING OR FOLLOWING ALONG
WITH WHAT THE REAL SPACECRAFT IS
DOING.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO THAT
IN A MONTH HERE.
THE IDEA IS THAT TWO FOLD, WE
DON'T WANT ANY SURPRISES.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WHATEVER WE
SEND, WE'VE TRIED OUT IN THESE
TESTBEDS.
WE KNOW HOW THE STEM IS GOING
TO BEHAVE.
WE WANT TO DEBUG ANY PROBLEMS.
WE AREN'T IN THE RIGHT
ORIENTATION.
WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND HOURS
GETTING TESTBED SET UP TO DEBUG
THAT PROBLEM.
WE'RE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH THE
REAL MISSION.
AS SOON AS SOMETHING HAPPENS WE
HAVE A TEAM READY TO GO AND
START WORKING WITH ANOMALIES.
>> PARTICULARLY NEAT CAPABILITY.
YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE THE TIME
SPINNING UP TO GET READY TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
YOU'RE READY TO GO.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
ACTIVITIES THAT YOU AND YOUR
TEAM HAVE DONE IN PREPARATION
FOR MARS020?
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
CAPABILITIES.
ANY SPECIFIC THINGS YOU GUYS
DONE WHILE PREPARING FOR THE
MISSION?
>> TWO BIG ONES WE'RE BUILDING
THE VEHICLE SYSTEM TEST BED THAT
I TALKED ABOUT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE STUNT
DOUBLE OF THE ROVER.
WE'LL HAVE THAT COME ONLINE
LATER THIS YEAR.
THAT'S A HUGE EFFORT.
>> WE HAVE TIME FOR COUPLE MORE
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS.
>> LET'S SEE, WE HAVE THIS ONE
FROM ASK NASA.
THIS IS ASTRO BOY, WONDERING HOW
LONG THIS MARS MISSION WILL
LAST?
DOES IT LAST UNTIL THE ROVER
COLLECT ALL ITS SAMPLES AND THE
DATA DOES IT KEEP GOING?
EITHER PERSON CAN ANSWER THAT
ONE.
>> I CAN ANSWER THAT.
WE LIKE TO KEEP OUR GOING AS
LONG AS POSSIBLE.
OPPORTUNITY ROVER WAS INTO
BLASTING MORE THAN 11 YEARS.
BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING
ENGINEERING WORK DONE AT JPL.
THIS ROVER, ACTUALLY BOTH THE
CURIOSITY ROVER AND THE
PERSEVERANCE ROVER DO HAVE A
LIMITED LIFE.
THEY ARE NUCLEAR POWERED.
YOU ACTUALLY DO RUN OUT OF
ENERGY.
FOR CURIOSITY ROVER, WE HOPING
IT WILL KEEP GOING FOR AT LEAST
ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
WE HAVE TO LAST THE MARS YEAR.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET LOT MORE OF
THAT FROM THE ROVER.
WE'RE HOPING WE G OUT ON TO
THE SURROUNDING AREAS AROUND.
>> WE'RE NOTOING TO PULL THE
PLUG ON THIS THING.
AS LONG AS IT'S WORKING, WE PLAN
TO KEEP DRIVING IT.
>> YOU GOT ANOTHER QUESTION FOR
ARMEN?
>> I DO.
WHICH SYSTEMS ON THE ROVER HAVE
REDUNDANCY TO IMPROVE
RELIABILITY?
SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD ENGINEERING
QUESTION.
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
IF ANYONE WONDERING REDUNDANCY
MEANS, WE HAVE BACKUPS.
WE HAVE BACKUP PLANS AND BACKUP
HARDWARE.
WE HAVE T COMPUTERS ON THE
ROVER.
THEY BOTH ARE EQUALLY CAPABLE OF
DOING THE JOB.
WE ONLY NEED ONE.
IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM WE CAN SWAP
THAT.
WE HAVE BACKUPS FOR LOT OF THE
POWER.
HARDWARE THAT WILL TURN DEVICES
ON AND OFF AND COLLECT ALL SORTS
OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEALTH
LIKE TEMPERATURES AND VOLTAGES.
WE HAVE BACKUPS OF SOMSEN SORES
LIKE WE HAVE INITIAL MEASURE
UNIT THAT CAN MEASURE THE
COMPASS IN YOUR iPHONE AND
SMARTPHONE AND MEASURE THE
ORIENTATION OF THE ROVER.
WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE.
LOT OF THE INSTRUMENTS HAVE AN A
AND B SID
WE CAN TALK TO THEM FROM EITHER
COMPUTER.
THERE'S A LOT OF REDUNDANCY ALL
OVER THE STEM.
THAT'S PART OF WHY TESTING SO
THOROUGH AND TAKES SO MUCH TIME
AND EFFORT.
ALL THAT REDUNDANCY IS
COMPLICATED AND THE INTERACTIONS
ARE COMPLICAT.
>> I WANT T JUMP IN AND KIND OF
WRAP UP WITH YOU BY ASKING
SOMETHING I MISSED EARER IN
OUR TALK.
THE TESTING IS REALLY IMPORTANT
PART OF OUR CULTURE AT NASA JPL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO.
WE BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN
TESTING.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANTND WHY
IT'S SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR
WORK?
>> I THINK TESTING IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR THE AEROSPACE
FIELD IN GENERAL.
WE SPEND LOT OF TIME
UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT
THAT ROVER HAS TO OPERATE IN.
WE DO OUR BEST AND DESIGN
SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK IN THAT
ENVIRONMENT.
YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW UNTIL YOU
TEST IT.
THE LEVEL OF TESTING THAT WE GO
THROUGH IS EXTRAORDINARY.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG REASON WHY
WE'VE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE
HAVE BEEN.
EVERYTHING GETS TESTED FROM THE
LOWEST LEVEL DOWN TO LIKE THE
PARTS MICROCHIPS ON THE BOARDS
ALL THE WAY UP TO ENTIRE ROVER
AND SPACECRAFT AS ONE ASSEMBLY.
TESTING IS A HUGE PART OF THE
CULTURE ATPL ANDASA.
>> ALL RIGHT.
DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT TO THE WAY WE DO OUR
WORK.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL THE TIME WE
HAVE TO TALK WITH YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
AND REALLY GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND
THE TEAM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK BRIONY
HORGAN AND ARMEN TOORIAN FOR
BEING WITH US.
WE'LL ALL BE WATCHING WITH LOT
OF EXCITEMENT WHEN THAT ROCKET
LIFTS OFF NEXT MONTH.
THANK YOU TO SARAH MARCOTTE FOR
SHARING THE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU ALL OF YOU FOR
WATCHING AND SUBMITTING THOSE
QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
RESOURCES FROM NASA REGARDING
THE MARS 2020 MISSION YOU CAN GO
TO MARS.NASA.GOV/MARS 2020.
THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT
MONTH AS WE PIVOT OUR FOCUS TO
VENUS.
WE'LL ASK IS IT EARTH'S EVIL
TWIN OR MAYBE JUST
MISUNDERSTOOD.
YOU'LL HAVE TO TUNE INTO TO FIND
OUT.
UNTIL THEN, STAY SAFE, TAKE CARE
FOR NOW.
