PLRP-3: Operational perspectives conducting science-driven extravehicular activity with communications latency

The Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP) is a unique program where a combination of scientific research and human space exploration concepts are integrated in an underwater spaceflight analog environment. The 2015 PLRP field season took place at Pavilion Lake, British Columbia, Canada, where science-driven exploration techniques focused on microbialite characterization and acquisition. These techniques were evaluated within the context of crew and robotic deep-space extravehicular activity (EVA) operations. The primary objective of this analog study was to detail the capabilities, decision-making processes, and operational concepts required to meet non-simulated scientific objectives during 5-minute one-way communication latency utilizing crew and robotic assets. The relationship and interaction between ground and flight crew was found to be dependent on the specific scientific activities being addressed. Furthermore, the addition of a second intravehicular operator was found to be highly enabling when conducting science-driven EVAs.