371: All Martian Things Considered

Embedded.fm · 29 Apr 2021 · 1h 06m · Episode 371

What this episode covers

Doug Ellison, Engineering Camera Team Lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, discusses the operational challenges and technical details of the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers' camera systems. He explains how extreme cold, radiation, and fine regolith dust affect hardware, the evolution from heritage 1-megapixel sensors to Perseverance's 20-megapixel cameras, and the reliance on Mars orbiters for data relay. Ellison also details the autonomous driving algorithms like visual odometry and AEGIS, the use of HoloLens for terrain visualization, and the logistical complexities of operating on Mars time.

Mentioned

Products
Curiosity, Perseverance, Ingenuity, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, ExoMars TGO, HoloLens, OnSight, AEGIS, LOCO, SPENDI, MAHLI, MastCam, ChemCam, Spirit, Opportunity, PanCam, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, Voyager

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Being an Engineer · 52m

    S1E58 NASA, Systems Engineering, and Sending Robots to Space | David Oh

    David Oh, former flight director for the Mars Curiosity rover and current systems engineering manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), discusses the complexities of deep space missions. He details the technical challenges of the Curiosity landing, including the autonomous Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) sequence and the 'sky crane' mechanism, as well as the unique physiological and logistical demands of living on 'Martian time.' Oh also outlines the rigorous proposal process for the Psyche mission to a metal asteroid and explains how systems engineering and risk management mitigate the high failure rates of interplanetary travel.

  • Being an Engineer · 53m

    David Oh | NASA, Systems Engineering, and Sending Robots to Space

    David Oh, former flight director for the Mars Curiosity rover and current systems engineering manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), discusses the Psyche mission and the complexities of deep space exploration. He details the autonomous entry, descent, and landing (EDL) process, including the sky crane maneuver, and explains how JPL manages risk through rigorous systems engineering and a five-by-five risk matrix. Oh also describes the unique operational challenge of living on 'Martian time' with his family, where the 40-minute daily shift required syncing their schedules to the rover's 24-hour, 40-minute sol.

  • Robot Talk · 32m

    Episode 127: Robots exploring other planets - Frances Zhu

    Frances Zhu, an Assistant Professor at the Colorado School of Mines leading the ROSE Lab, discusses intelligent robotic systems for space exploration, focusing on planetary rovers and the shift toward autonomy. She explains how AI and computer vision are being integrated into autonomy stacks to handle communication delays and terrain uncertainty, moving beyond traditional teleoperation. Zhu also addresses the critical challenge of 'trust' in AI-driven systems, emphasizing the need for transparency and explainability in high-stakes aerospace environments. The conversation covers testing on Earth analogs, the role of commercial entities like SpaceX and Astrobotic, and the competitive landscape of global space robotics.

  • Hackaday Podcast · 57m

    Ep078: Happy B-Day MP3, Eavesdrop on a Mars Probe, Shadowcasting 7-Segments, & a Spicy Commodore 64

    Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss a variety of hardware hacks, including decoding telemetry from the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, a wireless SD card reader using an ESP8266, and a plasma cutter collision detection system based on exact constraint design. They also review a mechanical shadow-casting 7-segment display, a Commodore 64 used to control a meat smoker, and a 4-axis stencil printer for PCBs. The episode concludes with a retrospective on the 25th anniversary of the MP3 format and a discussion on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rapid reflight records.

  • Hackaday Podcast · 1h 04m

    Ep059: Hydraulic Rockets & Presses, Machine Vision Bounces & Stares, Smart Speakers Listen to You

    Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss several hardware hacks, including Joe Barnard’s silo-launched thrust-vectoring model rocket, which required solving pneumatic timing and sensor failures, and Graham Jessup’s 3D-printed robotic face with machine vision tracking. They also cover Daniel Riley’s solar-powered rover, which overcame steering and traction issues through iterative frame modifications, and a robotic ball bouncer using a parallel manipulator and OpenCV. The episode concludes with an analysis of smart speaker false activations and a discussion of Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle, a space tow truck designed to extend satellite life in geosynchronous orbit.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Embedded.fm. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.