From: fitz@frc.ri.cmu.edu (Kerien Fitzpatrick)
Subject: Dante Update from the FRC
Reply-To: fitz@frc.ri.cmu.edu
Organization: Field Robotics Center, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 01:08:25 GMT

I've compiled a couple of the updates that we are receiving from FRC
personnel at Goddard Space Flight Center.  These updates are to be
considered "unofficial" whose purpose is to provide additional information
to interested parties.  Another colleague that just returned from Goddard
said the video feed is fantastic even though it isn't frame rate.

For those that are not aware of why a robot is being used here is some
more info.  Erebus is active and can erupt at any time in addition to the
unpredictability of the weather which can change drastically in a short
period of time.  For these reasons, human access was curtailed.
-------------------------------

Newsgroups: frc.general
From: Jim Osborn <oz>
Subject: satellite link established!
Organization: frc.general
Distribution: local
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 22:01:40 GMT

(I am sending this message from the POCC at Goddard Space Flight
Center.)

At 2102, Day 362 GMT, the first live television images were sent from
Mt. Erebus to Goddard Space Flight Center.  Image quality is quite
good.  All in all, the test is going well, though we lost the signal
three times during the last one-hour event -  cause unknown.

News from the ice:

Dante is assembled and has taken a few steps.  The group seems to be
in good shape.  The current plan is to go up the mountain as soon as
the weather clears a little (a lot of fog at the summit).  Temperature
on Erebus is generally between -15 and -25 C; wind speeds early today
were 20 knots, gusting to 50 knots. 

The following is from the typed dialog between Goddard and Erebus
during this most recent (and very successful) TDRSS test.

"Phil Kyle is buttoning up the science package and Eric is closing up
the [computing] enclosure. Last night, Dante got caught in a hard,
cold wind.  Everything [computers] booted fine. However, we noticed
intermittent problems with the level wind on the tether reel.
Troubleshooting that now.  Planning to force last solutions on
everything in the next two hours.  Then out and up."

"We're committed to a descent route.  Many challenges.  The ascent
route is  straightforward but will require significant sustained effort,
possibly over several days, starting now."

"The route from the hut to the summit went surprisingly well.  It is
[now] named "Robot Valley". The power station and people shuttl[ing]
are easy."

"The robot ascent route is complicated by subjective concerns for holes
and ice caves.  We've reconn'ed it well and are ready to go."

"You will not have direct view of most of the ascent.  We'll can some
video and send that along."


-----------------------

Newsgroups: frc.general
From: James Osborn <oz>
Subject: Sunday evening news
Organization: frc.general
Distribution: local
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 92 17:05:38 GMT

[I am sending this message from Goddard during the third and final
TDRSS test for day 362.]

I am watching live video coming from one of Dante's foot observation
cameras through the robot's fiber optic telemetry system (aka the
"DataRocket").  This transmission verifies that we will be able to get
live video from Dante's cameras back to Goddard.

We are now watching a videotape that the team recorded on (their)
Thursday of the crew bringing Dante out of the hut onboard Geryon.  The
purpose of them bringing it out was for a "cold soak" - to verify
that Dante could be brought to life after being outside in the very
cold.  (Dante passed this test: the heaters inside the computing
enclosure worked well and the computers were able to boot with no
problem.  We have yet to get "hard numbers" on how long Dante was cold
soaked, how long the heaters were on prior to computer startup, etc.)

Now back to live video.  Just saw one of Dante's feet touch the
ground.  Dante is now standing up so the crew can turn Geryon
around.

NOTES FROM RED:
Science package is now buttoned up.
Dante is outside the hut now
(END OF TRANSMISSION)
--------------
The team should be getting Dante to the rim over the next three days.
Since the rim area is boulder-strewn, it's actually expected to take
that long.  Thus, Dante's descent ought to begin on or about Wednesday.
--------------
For your information, here's how the link from Mt. Erebus to Goddard
is set up.

A local video source (e.g., one of Dante's cameras or a VCR playing
taped images) connects to a digitizer/image compression board inside
one of Dante's base station computers.  That computer also has a high
speed serial port that allows to be interfaced to the digital part of
the satellite link.  The digital equipment is connected to RF
equipment which sends a signal from the antenna on Mt Erebus to a
satellite named TDRS-5 that's in geosynchrous orbit over the equator
at 174 degrees West longitude.  Data is sent from the satellite to a
ground station in White Sands, NM and to Goddard via another
communications satellite.  We have a 9600 bit/second link from Goddard
to Erebus (the forward link) and a 1.5 million bit/second link in the
other direction.  We communicate to the team on Erebus by connecting a
computer in our mission control to a computer in the Erebus base
station and using a program that allows users to type messages in at
each end. (Though they have an Inmarsat terminal that allows voice
communications, it's quite expensive and power hungry, so we don't use
it much.)

Scheduled satellite events:
MONDAY 12/28
	4:20 - 5:00 PM EST
	5:50 - 6:50 PM EST

TUESDAY 12/29
	3:45 - 4:55 PM EST
	5:50 - 6:35 PM EST (backup event)

WEDNESDAY 12/30
	3:30 - 5:00 PM EST
	5:25 - 6:20 PM EST (backup event)


-----------------------------

Please remember that all information regarding scheduled satellite events in
this post are not to be considered official.  

---
Kerien Fitzpatrick			Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Field Robotics Center			(412)268-6564
The Robotics Institute			Internet: fitz@frc.ri.cmu.edu
Carnegie Mellon University




Newsgroups: comp.robotics