Planning a Trip to Mars?

Mars is of considerable interest to humans because, of all the planets, it is the only one on which humans could live. However, the surface of Mars is an extremely hostile environment for unprotected humans.

If you're thinking of visiting Mars, you'd better plan well ahead. Be sure to pack long johns and a space suit! The temperature during the Martian summer ranges from a bone-chilling -50 celsius, at night to about 0 celsius (the freezing point of water) at mid-day. Temperatures as low as -130 celsius have been recorded on Mars.

The air on Mars is so thin that you would have to be at least 40 km up in the Earth's atmosphere (more than twice the height of Mount Everest) in order to experience the same air pressure as on the surface of Mars. You will need a good reliable pressurized space suit to go for a walk on Mars.

Mars is also very dry - drier than the driest deserts on Earth, so you'll need to take along a lot of water. If you can't carry that much water with you, you might have to find some that may be hidden in the Martian subsoil, like permafrost in the Canadian Arctic.

What about oxygen to breathe? You'd better take that along too, since there is no oxygen in the Martian atmosphere.

With all these differences between the Earth and Mars, how will humans be able to live and work comfortably on Mars, and explore the Martian surface?

Robots will be our exploration partners!

Why Use Robots?

Robots serve many useful purposes.

1. They are very good at performing repetitive tasks without getting tired (or bored).
2. They can work and travel in hazardous environments where the risk to humans is too great.
3. They can be built to have great strength, well beyond human capability.
4. If carefully programmed they seldom make a mistake due to fatigue or inaccurate judgement.
5. They can often perform their tasks without constant human supervision.

How Can Robots Help Us?

If your family has ever planned a trip to an exotic place, there is a pretty good chance that your destination has already been checked out by a reliable travel agent to help ensure your family's comfort and safety during your visit.

Knowing what we do about the hostile environment on Mars, it might be a good idea to have someone (or something) thoroughly check out that destination before humans travel there, so that there are no disastrous surprises awaiting us when we arrive.

Robots are ideal for this task. In fact, an important part of Canada's role in the space program is the design and development of "smart" robotic technology for the exploration of Mars.

Canadian developed robots, such as those developed by NORCAT (The Northern Centre for Advanced Technology) were designed to help with mining exploration and to make underground mining operations safer. These robotic devices could also help with the search for hidden underground water on Mars. Canadian robotic technology can also be used to identify potential Martian landing sites. These sites must be selected to provide a major source of raw materials for the support of the first manned base-station on Mars.

What is a robot?

A robot is simply a machine that can follow instructions and perform a task.

In a sense a microwave oven, a clothes washer, and even a toaster are examples of very simple robots. Each can be programmed to follow a simple set of instructions.

More complex robots can perform tasks that range from the assembly of automobiles to the exploration of planets like Mars.

All robots can be classified into one of three main types:

1. Direct Control Robots
2. Remote Control Robots
3. Autonomous Robots

Direct control robots have limited mobility. They cannot move very far from their control centre. Canadarm (on the space shuttle) and Canadarm2 (on the International Space Station) are examples of direct control robots. These robots have considerable flexibility of motion, but each must stay attached, in some way, to its host.

A model airplane that flies in circles at the end of a hand-held line is another example of a direct control robot.

Direct control robots are not considered to be very "smart", since they require a lot of human intervention to control their activities.

When astronauts go to Mars, they will use direct control robots for several tasks. When exploring the Martian landing site, the astronauts might use small, lightweight, robotic rovers. These rovers will be attached to a power supply on the astronaut's habitat. The rover's duties could range from gathering weather information to mining the surface of Mars in order to find the minerals needed to make aluminum and steel.

Remote Control Robots

The very successful Mars Pathfinder expedition and the current Mars Exploration Rovers are good examples of remote control robots.

The Sojourner robot was able to roam freely across the Marian surface, but the robot's basic instructions were provided by an Earth based master control centre.

A radio-controlled airplane is another example of a remotely controlled robotic device.

Remotely controlled robots are considered to be "smarter" than directly controlled robots.

Some, like Sojourner (the first Mars rover), have very limited "self-awareness" to prevent them from causing damage to themselves or their environment.

When the astronauts go to Mars, they will land at the best possible location. The landing location, however, might not be the best possible site for living on Mars. By using remote control robotic devices on the Martian surface, which can be linked by radio to the astronaut's first landing site, it will be possible to locate the best sites upon which the first Martian pioneers can establish a permanently manned base station.

Autonomous Robots

Robots which can "figure out" their own instructions in order to perform a given task are called autonomous robots.

While truly autonomous robots do not yet exist, scientists are continually working to create a totally self aware, intelligent autonomous robot. The best robots today are only partially autonomous. Autonomous robots will be very "smart", compared to direct control and remote control robots.

Autonomous robots will be very useful on Mars. Even before the astronauts go to Mars, scientists could send autonomous robotic factories to Mars. Their task could be to produce a stockpile of rocket propellant in preparation for the return trip to Earth. Production of oxygen and water on Mars will also be important tasks for the first autonomous (or semi-autonomous) robots on Mars.