Evaluating the use of Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) for planetary exploration in Mars-analog terrain

Planetary analog missions are essential for field-testing science operations and technology, as well as for understanding how to effectively use terrestrial localities to inform studies of extraterrestrial environments. Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) have great potential for planetary surface exploration and the Ingenuity helicopter, a part of the Mars 2020 mission, has already demonstrated the viability of flight on an extraterrestrial world. Although optimal applications of UAS for planetary exploration remain largely unconstrained, simulated missions in planetary analog terrains can inform operational best practices. As part of the Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Network (RAVEN) project, we conducted a 12-sol Martian UAS mission simulation in the Holuhraun region of Iceland. The UAS had airborne imaging capability, as well as imaging, sampling, and geochemical analysis capabilities while landed. The specifications for the UAS followed preliminary designs for a future “Mars Science Helicopter”. The mission successfully characterized multiple surface units and acquired observations allowing for interpretation of the region’s geologic history. Oblique airborne images were essential for mission planning and were used to scout large areas to identify landing sites and targets for focused investigations. This strategy made efficient use of the ability of a UAS to perform both coarse and detailed observations. Sampling and spectroscopic measurements were successful, but limited to smoother terrain on which the UAS could land. As a planetary exploration vehicle, a UAS is most advantageous for exploring large areas and is particularly useful when the terrain may be impassable to ground-based traverses (e.g., by rovers or humans).

行星类比任务（planetary analog missions）是开展科学作业与技术实地测试的核心途径，同时有助于厘清如何有效利用地球本土地貌，为地外环境研究提供参考依据。无人航空系统（Unoccupied Aircraft Systems, UAS）在行星表面探测领域拥有巨大应用潜力，而隶属于火星2020任务（Mars 2020 mission）的机智号直升机（Ingenuity helicopter）已率先验证了在行星天体上开展飞行作业的可行性。尽管行星探测用UAS的最优应用场景仍未完全明确，但在行星类比地貌中开展模拟任务，可为确定作业最佳实践提供重要支撑。作为漫游车-航空飞行器探测网络（Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Network, RAVEN）项目的组成部分，我们在冰岛霍尔赫拉恩地区开展了一场为期12个火星日（sol）的火星UAS任务模拟。该UAS搭载了空中成像载荷，着陆状态下还具备成像、采样与地球化学分析能力。该UAS的技术规格参考了未来‘火星科学直升机（Mars Science Helicopter）’的初步设计方案。本次任务成功完成了多类地表单元的特征刻画，并获取了可供解读该区域地质历史的观测数据。倾斜航空成像对任务规划至关重要，可用于大范围侦察以选定着陆点与聚焦探测目标。该策略高效利用了UAS可同时开展粗扫与精细观测的能力，实现了作业效能的最大化。采样与光谱测量任务均顺利完成，但受限于UAS的着陆能力，仅能在较为平坦且可供其着陆的地形开展作业。作为行星探测运载工具，UAS在大范围地貌探测中优势显著，当地形无法被地面漫游车或人类通行时，其应用价值尤为突出。