Presentation: "Innovations and Integrations: Applying Trendy Technologies to NASA Mission Operations Planning"

Time: Wednesday 18:35 - 19:35

Location: To be announced

Abstract:
Mashups, Web 2.0, cloud computing, multi-touch interfaces, crowdsourcing, advances in 3D visualization and widespread availability of mapping: the last decade brought us a plethora of new technologies to improve communication and manage information more effectively. NASA missions of exploration are inspiring endeavors that combine new aerospace technologies with tried-and-true state of practice systems to take us to new places and learn more than we knew before about our solar system. Likewise, when innovations in software and hardware are integrated with state of practice operations planning systems, these missions can deliver much more value to us. In this seminar, Mark Powell of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will present examples of how innovative technologies have been applied to the operation of missions such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, the Cassini Saturn Orbiter, the Phoenix Mars Lander as well as new technology projects including the JPL Aerobot and the ATHLETE prototype lunar robotic vehicle.

Mark Powell, Product lead for the Mars Science Laboratory mission science planning interface (MSLICE)

Mark Powell
Mark Powell is a Senior Computer Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA since 2001. Mark is the product lead for the Mars Science Laboratory mission science planning interface (MSLICE). At JPL his area of focus is science data visualization and science planning for telerobotics. He supported the 2004 Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission operations as a Science Downlink Coordinator, facilitating the timely downlink and analysis of science data from the rovers. He received the NASA Software of the Year Award for his work on the Science Activity Planner science visualization and activity planning software used for MER operations. He also received the Imager of the Year award from Advanced Imaging Magazine for his work on Maestro, the publicly available version of the Science Activity Planner for MER. Mark is currently supporting a variety of projects at JPL including the Aerobot aerial robotic vehicle, the Cassini mission to Saturn, the Mars Science Laboratory and the ATHLETE prototype lunar robotic vehicle.