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NASA has long recognized the advantages of providing improved information interfaces to EVA astronauts and has pursued this goal through a number of development programs over the past decade. None of these activities or parallel efforts in industry and academia has so far resulted in the development of an operational system to replace or augment the current extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) Display and Controls Module (DCM) display and cuff checklist. Recent advances in display, communications, and information processing technologies offer exciting new opportunities for EVA information interfaces that can better serve the needs of a variety of NASA missions. Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International (HSSSI) has been collaborating with Simon Fraser University and others on the NASA Haughton Mars Project and with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boeing, and Symbol Technologies in investigating these possibilities.

This paper is based on preliminary results of a joint study performed by MDA and Hamilton Sundstrand which examines evolving adaptive robotics systems through early robotic and human missions to the moon. NASA has placed increased emphasis on the role of robotics in future lunar exploration. The recent NASA Exploration System Architecture Study (ESAS) outlines a strategy for human return to the moon that begins with robotic precursor missions, and is followed by a series of short sortie missions made by human-robotic teams. Robotic systems would be better utilized if they can evolve to support multiple stages of the lunar exploration strategy, rather than being designed for “single-shot” mission. For example, pre-cursor rovers could be upgraded to support a human-robot sortie team, and later could remain after the astronauts depart to complete and continue exploration tasks, possibly in co-operation with other robotic assets transported on the Lunar Surface Access Module.