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Jet Propulsion Laboratory UNIVERSE
Pasadena, California - Vol. 23, No. 3 - February 12, 1993
_________________________________________________________________

U.S., Russian rovers take their first run together

By Karre Marino
     A lunchtime crowd gathered Jan. 29 for a demonstration of
the Russian planetary rover, called Marsokhod, and JPL's
mini-rover, Rocky IV, both of which will head for Mars in
separate missions in late 1996.
     The demonstration was spur of the moment, according to Donna
Pivirotto, the Microrover team leader. "It was really just a bit
of fun for everyone," she said. "We exchanged information and
essentially were able to verify for the Russians that they were
on the right track.
     "We actually came away with a general feeling that they
think what we're doing is very interesting, but at the same time,
they didn't appear to want to use our technology. They'd prefer
we give them money or buy their products."
     The rovers were strikingly different in appearance, as the
Russian effort, at 80 kilograms, was several times larger than
the JPL prototype, which weighs 7 kilograms. Marsokhod (Russian
for Mars rover) is 60 centimeters (24 inches) wide by 90
centimeters (36 inches) long, and has six cone-shaped titanium
wheels. It runs on RTG (nuclear) power of 20 watts.
     Rocky IV is 61 centimeters (24 inches) long by 38.5
centimeters (15 inches) wide by 36 centimeters (14 inches) high.
It has six 13- centimeter (5-inch) diameter wheels made of strips
of stainless steel foil, which offer stability and mobility;
cleats provide traction.
     Rocky runs on 5 watts of solar energy, which is used during
the day to power the electronics, stored inside a warm electronic
box. At night, the electronics are turned off, and the keep-alive
batteries run the unit, Pivirotto explained. "The idea is that
the electronics get warm enough during the day and while they
cool down at night, it doesn't cause problems. Batteries also
enable us to run science instruments at night, or if Rocky is
driving along and goes into a shadow, the batteries -- which are
non-rechargeable flashlight types --  drive us out. They also aid
in climbing, providing an added boost to get over a big rock."
     The microrover uses Ackerman steering, Pivirotto noted.
"It's like your car; one wheel turns the same way the other wheel
turns. It tracks without skidding." However, Marsokhod uses skid
steering; the left and rightside wheels turn in opposite
directions. The rover can turn sharply, but it takes more energy
to do so, she said.
     Rocky, which is controlled by a Macintosh Powerbook,
features sensors that help it avoid cliffs, dropoffs or excessive
slopes (though the rover can ascend slopes of 26 degrees). An
on-board visible infrared spectrometer and color camera will
record and send back images and rock spectra, while a chipper is
designed to remove a thin layer of rock surfaces and may
determine if Mars' "rocks" weather as Earth's rocks do. A
soft-sand scoop takes soil samples, and a video and radio modem
transmit data and images. The rover can also place a seismometer
on the surface.
     Pivirotto noted that just as the two rovers designs are
different, so too are the nations' approaches to testing and
building prototypes. "(The Russians) are very empirical in their
work. Their philosophy is not one of system engineering -- as
ours is. They don't have much analysis. They build it and try it,
which means they'll make lots of changes. We do more
requirements, design and analysis before we build."
     The Russian philosophy, she admitted, has led to failure
with all of their Mars missions, but success with each Venus
mission. "The problem seems to be in the design of the landing
system. That's why they expressed interest in our dynamicists
talking to theirs."
     Information exchange was not the only success of the
demonstration here. The exercise itself gained high marks. Both
rovers made impressive runs, up stairs and across constructed
barriers, as audience members applauded. Then the prototypes
headed for the pit behind Visitor Control, maneuvering over
grass, boulders, pebbles -- and, at times -- each other. (The
large Marsokhod ran into a small Russian lunar rover.) As
expected, Marsokhod handled the large boulders with ease, while
Rocky IV struggled; of course, a few times, seeming to have a
mind of its own, and being the innovation of Americans, the
micro-rover simply went around a large boulder that seemed like
so much bother!
     Rocky IV is part of the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR)
project, which will place a network of landers, each equipped
with a seismometer, in varying locations on the Martian surface.
Recordings of Marsquakes by seismometers at different locations
will help determine the internal structure of the Red Planet.
Deployment of the network is planned for three Mars launches.
     The demonstration continued what have been informal
discussions between American and Russian scientists and
engineers, as they explore possible opportunities for future
cooperation between the two nations in planetary studies.
     The seven-member Russian team was curious about more than
scientific data, said Pivirotto. "They wanted to know about our
lifestyle. They thought it was interesting that I owned my own
home. They were also big fans of pizza and Budweiser." ###
_________________________________________________________________

Military technology does an about-face

By Karre Marino
     What began as technology developed for military applications
has been modified to aid staff members of JPL's Division 37 in
creating an automated training program tailored for new engineers
and other members of the technical staff.
     This technology transfer process was originally developed by
JPL and its subcontractors on the All Source Analysis System.
ASAS, a complex U.S. Army project started at JPL in 1983,
successfully designed an automated intelligence system that
enables a military commander to synthesize intelligence from a
wide variety of sources in near real time.
     In December 1991, Lab Director Dr. Edward Stone was briefed
on ASAS's Training Material Development System (TMDS).
"Originally, TMDS was developed to assist in the production of
military training materials, using automation to reduce
development time," explained Jim Block, ASAS ILS training
manager. More than 160 lesson plans with 2,520 hours of
instruction have been developed on the ASAS project.
     Over time, TMDS has expanded its capabilities to support new
requirements on ASAS. "TMDS has evolved from an automated
training material-generation tool to now include the
curriculum-development process," he noted. "This Automated
Training System now enables us to develop a training course from
inception through presentation within a structured format. The
format analyzes the training objectives by developing a task
hierarchy with supporting skills and knowledges."
     He added that the process focuses at the functional task
level and examines the skills and knowledges needed to perform a
task. "Once this analysis is complete, the training program is
tailored to meet these requirements. By automating this process,
the development time has been reduced by more than 50 percent,
thereby saving cost and schedule, while providing our sponsor
with a well-documented training program tailored to his
requirements," said Block.
     He noted that "with today's austere budgets, this process
capitalizes on the tenets of Total Quality Management."
     Stone recognized that TMDS had potential for wider
application, and according to Block, he challenged ASAS engineers
to try to transfer this capability to other training requirements
on Lab. A briefing by Division 37 manager E.K. Davis and his
staff soon followed, and Davis directed his team to assess the
program's potential within Division 37.
     A six-month pilot study was launched last Dec. 7. "We set up
a study to evaluate the potential users at the Lab to include
having the capability to customize the automation process to
serve non-military training applications," he added.
     TMDS required thorough testing by someone in the JPL
training community who could exercise all of its capabilities and
assess its potential. Carol Scott of Division 37's Operations
System Training Group was selected because of her involvement
with workstation course development for multimission operations
training.
     Scott traveled to Fort Hood, in Killeen, Texas, where she
was introduced to the magic of TMDS during a two-week
indoctrination period. "My purpose in learning the system was to
employ it as a tool for structuring course materials and
streamlining course-development efforts," she explained.
     During her period of instruction, Scott said, her perception
of TMDS changed. "Instead of considering TMDS only as a potential
tool for developing training materials, I began to think of it as
a vehicle for establishing structured course baselines with
consistent levels of detail and predictable maintenance time
frames."
     Block noted that Scott arrived with a set of course
objectives from an existing course. She planned to compare the
TMDS development process and its products with her recollection
of a real-time development experience and the actual training
materials currently used. "From these course objectives, we
structured a task hierarchy, which provides the framework
necessary for TMDS to begin organizing all the informational
components to be gathered. When she left, she had a structured
database, with much of the initial analysis completed and skills
we would need in order to continue the process," he explained.
     Block emphasized that it is TMDS's ability to correlate
hundreds, even thousands of pieces of information during course
development that makes it so valuable. ASAS personnel involved
with TMDS say the software has significantly decreased the amount
of time it takes to train new engineers and technicians. "What
once took 22 hours of research has been cut to 12 hours," Block
said.
     The system's capabilities are impressive: "TMDS provides a
mathematical modeling process that analyzes survey responses to
questions on the difficulty, importance and frequency of each of
the candidate tasks listed. The results of the survey indicate
which tasks should be included in the course and how they should
be emphasized. Each task is then evaluated in detail to determine
the skills that must be performed and supporting knowledge that
must be provided for completion. This skill and knowledge
hierarchy forms the basis for developing learning objectives and
measurement criteria. Each skill and knowledge is then
individually described in detailed narratives," Scott said.
     "TMDS also accepts instructor notes and statement of
caution, for example, and pulls information (such as
illustrations) from separate HyperCard stacks for inclusion in
its output products," she added. She also praised TMDS's ability
to generate supporting documentation and materials in an editable
format for printing.
     While the software may seem like a miracle organizing tool,
Scott warned that "there is a significant, up-front commitment
required on the part of the course developer to gather all
required information. The benefits of TMDS do not come cheaply in
terms of time and effort." However, she felt that the time was
worth it, especially in terms of ongoing maintenance.
     "I'm enthusiastic about TMDS; the high quality and
consistency of material is already visible. It should also be
possible to tailor course material more closely to projects and
teams, so the one-size-all approach may no longer be necessary.
Course modification and material generation will require less
training downtime, since baselined course material will be output
as a single-source package. New materials can be generated in
hours instead of weeks."
     The pilot study will end in May, when Division 37 will
present a briefing, with recommendations for further Lab use. ###
_________________________________________________________________

News briefs

     Members of JPL's Mars Observer mission have received
Aviation Week & Space Technology's 1992 Aerospace Laurels for
launch and initial operation of the Mars Observer spacecraft --
the first U.S. mission to Mars in 17 years.
     Honorees included former Project Manager Dave Evans, who
became deputy assistant laboratory director of the Office of
Flight Projects just after the Mars Observer launch last Sept.
25. His successor, Glenn E. Cunningham, and Spacecraft Manager
George Pace were also selected for the award.
     The team was honored for its outstanding contributions in
1992 in the field of Space/Missiles, one of six categories
recognized each year by the weekly aerospace magazine. In April,
awardees will receive plaques commemorating their contributions
to the launch and continuing success of the Mars Observer
mission.
     The Mars Observer spacecraft -- currently about 64 million
kilometers (40 million miles)  from Earth -- will reach Mars on
Aug. 24, 1993, and begin to circularize its orbit around the
poles of the planet. The spacecraft will then spend an entire
Martian year, the equivalent of two Earth years or 687 Earth
days, mapping the planet's surface and profiling the Martian
atmosphere.

     Volunteers are being sought  to visit local elementary and
middle schools during National Engineers Week Feb. 15-19.
     This is the second year that JPL has participated in this
nationwide event, according to Public Education Office Manager
Richard Alvidrez.
     Information and activity kits are available by calling the
Public Education Office at ext. 4-6916.

     The Caltech Employees Federal Credit Union will hold its
43rd annual shareholders meeting on Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in
Caltech's Beckman Auditorium.
     According to credit union Vice President Merrily F. Hines,
the meeting will feature State of the Credit Union reports and an
election of officers.
     Before the meeting begins, refreshments will be served at
4:45, and entertainment will be provided by the band "Clear
County Line." Each credit union member in attendance will receive
a gift and will be eligible to win a door prize.

     JPL, NASA and the Southern California Small Business
Utilization Council are co-sponsoring a March 1-2 conference
designed to aid small, minority-owned and women-owned firms that
do business with the government.
     The High Technology and Small Business Development
Procurement Conference will be held at the Los Angeles Airport
Hyatt Hotel and will feature approximately 200 government prime
contractors, federal agencies and other large procurement
organizations, and will offer guidance on contracting
opportunities, particularly on request for quotations, requests
for proposals and invitations to bid.
     For more information, or to receive an invitation to the
conference, call Andrew Guyton in JPL's Contractor Capabilities
Office at ext. 4-7531.

     The JPL Gun Club will sponsor a basic course of instruction
on safe and legal shooting of pistols, rifles and shotguns,
starting March 9.
     The three-week class, which is recommended by the Gun Club
to those with no previous firearms experience, will meet for
lectures on Tuesday evenings at von Karman Auditorium, followed
later in the week by firing sessions at the JPL Firing Range.
     The $50 course fee covers instructional materials, books,
ammunition and targets, and all other necessary equipment. It is
limited to JPL or Caltech employees, contractors, retirees and
their families, and participants must be U.S. citizens 18 or
older.
     Registration is limited and is on a first-come, first-served
basis. Course applications, which are due March 5, are available
at the ERC or by contacting Bob Steinbacher at ext. 4-5076 or
Celeste Satter at ext. 4-9246. ###
_________________________________________________________________

Youngsters get a feel for earthquake preparedness

By Karre Marino
     Some 200 young children from 6 weeks to 5 years old and 80
staff members readied for disaster Jan. 26, as the JPL/Caltech
Child Educational Center (CEC) staged an earthquake-preparedness
drill.
     When the alarm sounded, children left their classrooms and,
taking specific routes, walked in an orderly fashion, holding one
another's hands -- or, in the case of infants, were wheeled out
in cribs -- resettling on several blue tarmacs arranged behind
the CEC and adjacent to La Canada High School's playing fields.
     The day, which was about a year in the making, prepared
students and staff for a worst-case scenario: An earthquake
causes severe damage and prevents parents from reaching their
children; everyone must stay put.
     The CEC used the two-hour exercise to ensure that the staff
knows what to do to keep everyone calm and safe.
     That fact should be of some comfort to many JPL employees
and contractors, as the majority of the children at the
non-profit school have at least one parent who works at JPL.
     As the well-choreographed drill continued, roll was taken
and each child was accounted for. Designated teachers checked
storage rooms for supplies and equipment, including tents.
     Of course, an overriding concern was that the children not
panic. "We want to teach our children that should the earth begin
to shake, they must immediately take care of themselves,"
explained CEC Assistant Director Bobbie Edwards. "We've taught
them about the rabbit who escapes into his hole for protection
and use the analogy to ensure that they cover their head and neck
during the drill," she explained. These "drop and cover" drills
occur every month. "We want it to be an automatic gesture for
them," added Edwards.
     Some children were injured (pretend, of course) and were
taken to the first aid tent for treatment, and nine staff members
trained in first aid, CPR and triage practiced checking for
serious problems. Edwards said the kids' "injuries" were wrapped
and bandaged, and then the teachers sent the children back to
their group.
     A diaper-changing station was set up, as was a food-prep
site, and fresh drinking water was available for every group of
children.
     "Those kids who can, understand that this is practice, and
they aren't afraid," Edwards maintained.
     The very young ones spent the time playing happily in the
sun, oblivious to the organization and activity occurring around
them. They sang songs, played games, and stories were read to
them while teachers put up tents, readied the fields and took
stock of the situation.
     Edwards insisted that it was important for the kids to
engage in their normal activities. "We do the best we can to
allow the children to continue with some of their regular
routine," she said. "It's also very important for children to
discuss their experience with earthquakes," added Edwards, so
when Dr. Lucy Jones, a Caltech seismologist and mother of a
2-year-old toddler at the CEC, stopped by to offer the students
more information on temblors, many related their own tales.
     During the course of Jones' talk, she used a Slinky and
Jell-O to explain what actually happens when the earth starts to
shake, rattle and roll. She placed Jell-O in a tray and set wood
blocks on top of it. Jones then showed the kids how -- by
wiggling one end of the wood -- it creates movement of the block
at the other end of the tray. This offers the children a concept
about why the earth is moving under them even though the quake
isn't occurring where they are.
     The next full-blown drill isn't scheduled until next year,
but the drop and cover exercises will continue, as will
earthquake education and Jones' visits and talks, said Edwards,
who admitted that while the drill is a necessary and useful
exercise, it is extremely hard work and an organizational hassle.
"We don't do this but once a year; that's about all we can take,"
she said. ###
_________________________________________________________________

New signs of safety

By Ed McNevin
     JPL's Occupational Safety Office (OSO), whose goal is no
more than four lost-time injuries per month for fiscal 1992-93,
has posted four new signs at various Lab locations, indicating
the number of lost-time accidents per month as a result of
on-the-job injuries.
     According to Charlayne Rowsell, an OSO senior safety
engineer, a lost-time injury is one that causes an employee to be
unable to report to work any day beyond the date of injury.
     "We're trying to make everybody aware that the OSO is very
concerned about people getting hurt on Lab," said Rowsell.
     The new safety campaign got off to an encouraging start for
the new year, she added, as JPL recorded an all-time high of 41
consecutive days without a lost-time injury during the
December-January period. The previous record, set in 1991, was 31
days.
     In addition to achieving the monthly goal of four or fewer
lost-time injuries for January, Rowsell added, JPL employees also
achieved that goal during November and December 1992. ###
_________________________________________________________________

Astronaut candidates visit Lab

     NASA's 1992 astronaut-candidate class visited JPL Feb. 2,
providing former JPL mechanical engineer Andrew Thomas and
Caltech research fellow John Grunsfeld with brief homecomings.
     Thomas and Grunsfeld joined their 22 classmates on an
all-day tour of the Lab, where they presented Deputy Director
Larry Dumas with an autographed photo of the 1992 class and were
briefed on the status of the Galileo, Mars Observer, WF/PC-2 and
SIR-C missions.
     The JPL stop was part a nationwide tour of NASA centers and
major contractors, providing candidates an opportunity to get
away from the pressures of training at the Johnson Space Flight
Center and to view the broad range of activity taking place at
other NASA facilities.
     The 1992 class also represents the increasing international
character of NASA's manned flight program, as it features two
Canadian astronauts, two ESA astronauts, one from France and
another from Italy, and the first-ever candidate from Japan.
     The astronaut candidates will train for one year before
becoming eligible  for space shuttle missions. ###