1. FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF FIELD SCIENCE IN AN ANALOGUE EVA SUIT
Table 1: Aggregate trial results: Accuracy while suited.
SKILL
PROBABLE
POSSIBLE
FALSE POSITIVE
FALSE NEGATIVE
TOTAL
TOTAL VALID
TOTAL ERRORS
GEOLOGISTS 64 46 11 8
129
110 19 %
49.6
35.7
8.5
6.2
100
85.3
14.7
NON-GEOLOGISTS 90 51 29
280
202 78
39.3
32.1
18.2
10.4
72.1
27.9
174
136 62 37
409
312 97
42.5
33.3
15.2 9
76.3
23.7
Jonathan D. A. Clarke1, Anna M. Clarke2, Gabi Hobbs2, Steve Hobbs2, Richard McGuirk2, Savannah McGuirk2, Andrew Wheeler2, 3, and James Waldie2, 4
Understanding the constraints of field work while in a space suit is critical when planning crewed exploration strategies for the surface of the Moon, Mars, and other accessible Solar System bodies (Ref. 1).
Mars Society Australia (MSA) has undertaken a number of studies into the effect of simulated or prototype space suits (Fig. 1) on field work performance, in the Pilbara in 2011 (Ref. 2), and at Arkaroola in 2014 (Ref. 3) and 2016 (this study) with the MSA simulated EVA suit. Performance was assessed using accuracy in identification of stromatolites (Fig. 2), columnar structures formed by photosynthetic algae that are among the oldest evidence of life on Earth (Ref. 5) and features that astrobiologists would search for on Mars (Ref. 6).
Here we show general confirmation of results of the previous studies, including the value of trained scientists in the performance of science tasks under simulated EVA conditions of trained geologists in performing specific field observations while non-geologists made more observations than geologists, but with less accuracy. We also show that, in line with the 2014 study (Tables 1 and 2), participants overall made more observations with greater accuracy while wearing the EVA suit than when they were not wearing it (Table 3).
These results are contrary to initial expectations (Ref. 2) that participants would perform less well whilst in the suits, especially given technical difficulties, such as helmet fogging Fig. 4). We are testing possible explanations for this trend, including the possibility of greater participant focus and different methodologies while wearing the suit than when not and the impact of these on the validity of such comparative trials (Fig 4.).
Our future research will focus on the role of terrain difficulty on field performance and of participant focus through assessing role suit familiarity and different styles of constricted vision.
Table 2: Aggregate trial results : Accuracy while unsuited
SKILL
PROBABLE
POSSIBLE
FALSE POSITIVE
FALSE NEGATIVE
TOTAL
TOTAL VALID
TOTAL ERRORS
GEOLOGISTS 72 52 6 2
132
124 8 %
54.5
39.4
4.5
1.5
100
93.9
6.1
NON-GEOLOGISTS
143 89 55 19
306
232 74
46.7
29.1 18
6.2
75.8
24.2
215
141 61 21
438
356 82
49.1
32.2
13.9
4.8
81.3
18.7
Figure 1. Prototype University of North Dakota NDX-1 gas-pressure EVA suit used in 2011 Pilbara trial (Ref.2). Photograph by Shannon Rupert
Table 3: Aggregate trial results: Number of observations
SKILL
SUITED
# OBSERVATIONS
# OBSERVERS
MEAN
GEOLOGIST
YES
132 5
26.4
NON-GEOLOGIST
306 8
38.3
TOTAL
428 13
32.9 NO
129
25.8
280 35
409
31.5
References
Schmitt, H.H., Snoke, A.W., Helper, M.A., Hurtado, J.M., Hodges, K.V., and Rice Jr., J.W. Motives methods and essential preparation for planetary field geology on the Moon and Mars. Geological Society of America Special Paper 483, 2011, 1-15.
Willson, D., Rask, J. C., George S.C., deLeon, P., Bonaccorsi, R., Blank, J., Slocombe, J., Silburn, K., Steele, H., Gargarno, M., and McKay, C. P. The performance of field scientists undertaking observations of early life fossils while in simulated spacesuit. Acta Astronautica 93, 2014, 193–206.
Clarke, J. D. A., Cooper, M., George, S., Hobbs, S., Houlahan, S., Murphy, G. M., Silburn, K., Sprigg, D., Sprigg, M., and Waldie, J. Evaluating the Performance of Field Science in an Analogue EVA suit: Stromatolite Identification by Geologists and Non-Geologists. Proceedings of the 15th Australian Space Research Conference, National Space Society Australia, 2016 (in press).
Coats, R. P. COPLEY, South Australia, sheet SH South Australian Geological Survey 1:250,000 series, 1973.
Clarke, J. D. A. and Stoker, S. R. Searching for stromatolites: the 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool Formation (Pilbara, Western Australia) as a Mars analogue. Icarus 224, 2013,
Walter, M.R. and Des Marais, D.J. Preservation of biological information in thermal-spring deposits—developing a strategy for the search for fossil life on Mars. Icarus 101, 1993,129–143.
Figure 2. MSA-built simulated EVA used in 2016trial.
Figure 3. Helmet fogging typical of the cool temperatures and high humidity
1 Mars Society Australia, 43 Michell St, Monash, ACT 2904, Australia
2 Mars Society Australia, P.O. Box P.O. Box 327 Clifton Hill, VIC 3068, Australia
3 QGESS Pty Ltd, PO Box 368, Mt Ommaney Qld, 4074
4 School of Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia
Figure 2. Columnar stromatolites exposed on the side and top of a loose cobble of Trezona Formation (Ref. 5) ~15 cm in length at the trial site.