From ml-meteorite-list-request@mlist-1.sp.cs.cmu.edu Thu Sep 18 21:45:44 1997 Date: Thu, 18 Sep 97 21:44:17 EDT From: Mark.Maimone@VACATION.VENARI.cs.cmu.edu To: meteorite-list@cs.cmu.edu Subject: 17 Sep meeting notes [sorry they're so late] 17 sep 97 meteorite meeting Red, Dimi, Scott, Mark Sib, Jack, Mark M., Deepak, Liam, Eric, Stewart, Matt, Mike Montemerlo, Bill, Jim, Ben, Mike Parris, Reid ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dimi introduced the meeting: met with Dave Lavery, we are on the same wavelength Dimi is talking with someone at the NSF to ensure we have sufficient environmental protections in Antarctica working on cleaning up budgets We want a draft of the paper and script for the video tape this week. There have been many requests for information (e.g. magazines), and we need to be better prepared to meet them. We are going to hire an undergrad to work for a week to create a web-based purchase order form. This will help us manage our internal (project) expenses. We were audited by CMU people, but it turned out that they just wanted to see that the funds issued in 1993 resulted in what was promised: i.e., Nomad. New directory: /afs/cs/project/lri/meteorite97/ for holding any new materials. Dimi, Bill, Scott will meet after this meeting to discuss equipment for the expedition Dimi will ask for aerial imagery There will be a photo shoot of Nomad (without people it seems) very soon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Week in Review Red: Main objective for the week is a strategic document, due in 5 days, that calls for us to chart the schedule for the Moon and field demos for the next 5 years. This will compete against 4 other major plans (Mars, lower orbit work, space station, shuttle). It calls for a proposal-level effort, and the main objective is to get things in on time. Report to Intel is due back in two days. Also working on video. Ben: Working on cleanup and repairs to Nomad Jim: arranging repairs and maintenance of generators, looking at ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system; needs to be repaired or possibly replaced/leased with more current system. Michael P: getting equipment lists together for Antarctic trip Bill: Has collected recommendations on long-lead-time items, fixed quotations from exploration companies. E.g. if $3,300 is too much for a big tent we can go with smaller North Face tents. [Dimi: ANI has five snowmobiles in Patriot Hills, we'll find out more on 23 Sep; also heard from an army rep who might loan us snowmobiles] We need to be allowed to modify them; e.g. putting cleats on treads Mike M: working with Matt on two-axis inclinometer. Linear response from -20 to 20 degrees, manufactured by Lucas (in England). Matt: working with Mike. Want to put that inclinometer in the enclosure with the camera. DALSA already has the camera we need, need to get it from them, prepared panospheric experiment outline. Talked with Ben about preparing an enclosure for the panospheric experiment in Antarctica. Stewart: ordered solar panels, going to order more parts, prepared summary in the handout, going to spend next week selecting batteries to be used for experiment Eric: working on PRB refit, on general Nomad papers and locomotion info specifically. [Dimi: can use my thesis. Good place to submit is AIAA] Organizing a visit to the science center. Liam: presented work done at Ames this summer [see below] Deepak: Will be talking to David Newcomer of Trimble, will collect equipment from Science Center. Need to get Eric, Dimi, Deepak, Mark M working together on the paper (instead of everyone rewriting everything). ICRA deadline is 15 October. [Liam: session on meteorite searches will be at ICRA] Mark M: Working on creating video of some panospheric sequences, ordering two new 4gig drives, slides to Takeo, went to IROS. Alex: current radar plans are to see if we can repair our GPR unit. Need to study which frequencies are best. Getting info back from Ginger group; but they want $300k and 6months development. Red: ask Marswell, Hamill (Oak Ridge) about small hi-res cameras ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liam summary of work at Ames http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pedersen/research/spectroscopy/ worked on sensors for detecting and distinguishing meteorites difficult to use color alone to distinguish fusion crust v. lama bombs ran experiments over 1.2 - 2.1 micron band. Insufficient data to decide if the approach is reasonable. 350nm to 2.5 micron band is available on instrument we plan to take to Antarctica. Can't go higher than 2.5 micron because there is little solar illumination transmitted through the atmosphere Also tried experiment on two pieces of sandstone and one Chilean meteorite. Olivene is quite distinctive in the meteorite, if there is a visible face without fusion crust. Actual sensor will be delivered on or about 20 October. It would be commercially valued at about $70k. Handout: summary of science-based experiments. Main objective to acquire visual and spectral data, and associate them with GPS data and human inspection results, and the bring back small samples that will be sent to Ames. Data is needed to enable the building of classifiers that will distinguish meteorites. Bringing Ames IMG Kodak digital camera, and regular photographic camera. [Red: will ask Kodak to donate a few]. Would be helpful to get additional lenses, but probably not filters. Final camera to look at is the same as used in Nomad's pan/tilt science cameras. [Matt and Liam both have input/concerns about the cameras being used on the trip] Will need to get 10m resolution, so plain GPS might work but since we'll have differential anyway we'll use that. Tasks: [see handout] - integrate Ames camera with framegrabber. Hans will provide a rugged processor (between laptop and desktop), plan to have a turnkey system ready for field tests. - Alex and Dimi will acquire GPS receiver, talking now with Trimble and Ashtex. [Red: working with Allison in the development office] - Working with Ben to mount optical sensor on a tripod; this sensor is alleged to have the same field of view as the spectroscopic sensor. Reid: really should be able to correlate any photographic slides with sensor readings. E.g., add timestamps to all sensor/camera readings. Don't just rely on the dial-a-number. - need shock mounting for field computer, also heating (electric fan, electric heating) [Red: stock up on chemical hand warmers] [Bill: a transparent box in the Sun will collect its own heat] - must run power supply continually during data collection. will need generator either for direct power, or to recharge batteries that are dragged around on a sled. Might be able to use snowmobiles as backup supply [Red: make sure that provides enough power] For heating, might use self-regulating heat tape. Bill: Re: concerns about contamination via gas generators; we're no worse than the human collection teams. Red: new experiments in narrow-band solar get 40% efficiency(!!!) Getting Jaz drives (1gig) for field data storage Scott: need to get teflon or other non-plastic cabling for cold. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mark M: Safeguarding and Autonomy Plans [postponed till Friday meeting] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Plans next week will have a panospheric technology meeting, possibly with a representative from DRES. meeting on Friday to discuss safeguarding/autonomy agenda ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Disney do we send Nomad down for 3-7 October? YES Options - just kiosks, no Nomad - Nomad just sitting there static - minimum rework done, run by cable contact Geb to make sure we can let the public control the imagery maybe SGI crystaleyes for public viewing stereo Nomad can power up off wall power (given isolation transformer) Can be steered Can have images viewed, maybe zoomed Red: Dimi, Sib, Mark M, Scott need to meet asap and call Geb. Eric: will get more copies of Tshirts, tapes, things to sell Meet 1pm today here.