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[ music ]

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Jake: Desert RATS stands for Desert Research and Technology Studies

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This is a group of engineers and scientists

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Jim: We are looking to test out new concepts, procedures,

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equipment, like rover concepts,

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to see how they work in the field environment

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Jake: The team tests these technologies, to make sure that on future human space flight missions,

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we will be able to do science as best as we can.

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Jim: A geoiogist from Goddard is going to be in each one of those rovers; myself and Jake Bleacher.

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Jake: That's something NASA has never done: two human rovers at the same time.

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So, we are really trying to develop how do you use these assets at the same time,

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and interesting things that you might not think about are your communications.

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So, you might have 4 astronauts talking at the same time to a mission control or science back room.

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Jim: It's just like running a real mission.

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Try and think about the Apollo missions to the moon. You had the astronauts on the moon and the mission control, 

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and there was a science back room you didn't hear about, and the astronauts were getting information from them.

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Jake: Arizona has a very good climate for these types of analog studies.

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you have pretty much open plains and you have a lot of geological features that are analogous to to places on the moon and on Mars.

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In the morning, we go through a briefing, to make sure we know what we are doing for that day.

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And the day is composed of executing that plan. So, driving the rover from stop to stop.

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While we are driving, we conduct geologic observations.

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We send that information back to science back rooms, and when we get to stops,

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we actually get out of the rover and got on Extra Vechicular Activity or EVA.

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Jim: Those stations are on the order of about 40 minutes, and 40 minutes goes by very quick.

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When you get to a brand new area, the first thing you have to do is describe the geology as concisely and detailed

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as possible for the people in the back room, figure out where you're going to

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take your samples you want to collect. So, you are figuring all this stuff out, at the same time, you've got to keep the status of all your

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systems. I mean, you've got this timeline that's running, and your getting briefed on how much time you have left.

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You know, you've go to move over here if you don't get this done, or if some equipment fails and you have to

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scrap the whole EVA and get back in the rover and drive to the next station.

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Jake: You get a lot of insight as to what a mission might actually be like.

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For a scientist like me, I come in there and I provide my input as a field geologist,

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How does a field geologist use all that equipment - but it is fun to talk with your astronaut crew member,

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because you spend a lot of time with them in the rover during your week-long mission. You get to chat about what it is like

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to be an astronaut. Hear their stories about the missions they've been on.

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Jim: We have a lot of hard-working scientists and engineers behind the scenes to make these things

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to be able to pull this off. It is an honor and a privledge being a crew member.

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Jake: That's really what working for NASA is: testing new technology, providing input

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back to the engineers, to make sure that we build the best equipment, so that when we do send people

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somewhere, they have the best of what NASA has to offer.

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