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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.

NASA has determined that human and robotic systems will cooperate to enable the space exploration enterprise. This entails many possible forms of interaction from essentially separate sequential activities linked by data exchange (e.g. robotic precursor missions enabling subsequent human exploration) to intensely coupled simultaneous collaboration in human - robotic teams. These interactions as well as the individual robotic and human exploration system components must be shaped to make the total system robust and flexible in the face of exploration challenges that cannot be fully defined or anticipated. One powerful concept for this purpose is found in recent research on robotic “swarms”. Interacting robotic swarms have been studied in numerous research efforts as a potential means of achieving flexible and robust capabilities with comparatively simple robots.

NASA's plans to implement the Vision for Space Exploration include extensive human-robot cooperation across an enterprise spanning multiple missions, systems, and decades. To make this practical, strong enterprise-level interface standards (data, power, communication, interaction, autonomy, and physical) will be required early in the systems and technology development cycle. Such standards should affect both the engineer and operator roles that humans adopt in their interactions with robots. For the engineer role, standards will result in reduced development lead-times, lower cost, and greater efficiency in deploying such systems. For the operator role, standards will result in common autonomy and interaction modes that reduce operator training, minimize workload, and apply to many different robotic platforms. Reduced quantities of spare hardware could also be a benefit of standardization.