Commanding Curiosity from the Couch: MSL Remote Operations, Challenges, and Path Ahead

ABSTRACT

This paper describes how the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) project prepared for and successfully began Curiosity rover Mars operations from their homes in response to the COVID-19 work-from-home orders. In a very short period, the team developed procedures and executed a remote operations readiness test in parallel with the team's support for nominal operations. Continuing regular rover operations with an entirely remote team had not previously been considered feasible due to a variety of factors. These included both the human factors, such as multiple concurrent person-to-person interactions of the uplink planning team, as well as technical factors, such as reliance on powerful workstations dedicated to graphically intensive software tools used for planning. The test was conducted on March 12, 2020, with both the downlink and uplink teams successfully simulating a near full planning day. The JPL administration announced the transition to mandatory telework on Monday, March 16. MSL stood down the uplink planning originally scheduled for the next day while downlink continued monitoring the rover. Full operations then resumed per schedule with nearly the entire operations team teleworking on Friday, March 20, during which the team planned rover activities for three Martian days (sols). These activities included the successful drilling of the 'Edinburgh' rock target, a highly complex robotic arm contact science activity. As of October 1, 2020, the Mars Science Laboratory mission operations team has conducted 88 remote tactical uplink shifts for a total of 190 sols of planned rover activity, which accounts for more than 6% of the mission to date. In this period the rover has completed four drilling campaigns and driven over 1160 meters towards its next major science target - a sulfate bearing geologic unit at the foot of Mount Sharp. Success has not been without its challenges. Many of these have been addressed while others will remain in some form until the team can safely return to JPL, which in turn is the largest challenge for the future. © 2021 IEEE.