Telesupervised Robotic Systems and the Human Exploration of Mars

Abstract

In this paper we consider exploration of Mars through appropriate integration of manned and unmanned technologies. The goal is to extend the boundaries of human exploration by augmenting human abilities with robotic technologies. Use of these technologies will also increase safety and reduce workload for humans, permitting them to focus on those tasks that they perform best: exploration, real-time analysis, and interpreting and responding to unexpected situations. By employing a multi-level telesupervision architecture and high-fidelity telepresence, graceful hand-over and hand-back between autonomous operation and teleoperated control are enabled.