Overview:

A team composed of engineers and scientists will comprise the Red Flyer rotation. Both teams will work together in order to better understand geological environments where geological features (i.e. concretions, endolithic habitats, evaporites, sapping sites, desert varnish) and microbial life can occur. We will be researching by way of an Aerial Recon Vehicle (ARV), called the Red Flyer, to better understand the macroscopic perspective of the these sites and then implement a systematic field documentation approach to ground truth using an updated version of the Scouting Exploration Methodology Study (SEMS), which was tested at all three Mars Analog Sites this past year.

Mission Objectives:

Due to the extensive objectives to meet by the Red Flyer rotation, some goals will need to be futher analyzed at each of the reseacher's institutions. Details of objectives including those objectives not meet during this rotation will be posted in the final report.

Red Flyer ARV:

• Test the concept of the Red Flyer vehicle in an analog environment
• To image surfaces effectively under low flight speeds
• Camera resolution should be sufficient in order for geologist to identify the desired geological features
• Compile maps of the MDRS area to effectively plan future EVAs
• Detail analysis of areas by Red Flyer without direct ground observation
• Using Red Flyer to help crews navigate unfamiliar areas
• Map geological features safely and effectively
• How and where the use of the Red Flyer is the most affective for the geology goals listed below including Aerial Stratigraphy--determining scale, bed thickness, and lithology

Geology: Concretion Sites:

• Using GIS, ARV, and previous crew data to define concretion sites
• Determine geological environment (including facies and subfacies environments) of these sites
• Determine distribution and density of these sites
• Determine chemical composition of concretions and host rocks
• Determine flow regime of concretion sites
• Analysis/comparison to other earth analog sites and Mars

Geology: Endolith Sites:

• Using GIS, ARV, and previous crew data define the best possible endolithic sites
• Determine geological environment (including facies and subfacies environments) of these sites
• Determine chemical composition of host rocks at endolithic sites
• Complete microscopic analysis of suspected endoliths

Geology: Sapping Sites:

• Using GIS, ARV, and previous crew data define the best possible sapping sites
• Determine geological environment (including facies and subfacies environments) of these sites
• Determine chemical composition of rocks at sapping sites
• Compare microbial respiration rates between microhabitat at sapping sites and local macroenvironmental conditions

Geology: Evaporite Sites:

• Using GIS, ARV, and previous crew data define the best possible evaporite sites
• Determine geological environment (including facies and subfacies environments) of these sites
• Determine chemical composition of evaporite sites
• Culture and confirm if there are halophilic microbial populations at these sites

Geology: Desert Varnish:

*Using GIS, ARV, and previous crew data define the best possible desert varnish sites *Determine geological environment (including facies and subfacies environments) of these sites

Operational:

• Using both SEMS and other datasets to determine what the most effective way for studying the above geological goals would be and how to integrate the ARV into this field methodology approach
• Other factors indirectly related to the above research such as distance traveled on ATV and the terrain type and how this affects ATV performance

Definition of SEMS:

The Scouting Exploration Methodology Study (SEMS--A systematic field photo documentation and science data collection process in order for both the field crew and Remote Science Team (RST) to interpret and analysis the data to maximize collaboration). Previous trial runs include Crew 25 (Utah), Mobile Agents (Utah), Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS, Haughton Crater, Canadian Arctic), and Expedition Two (Mars-OZ--Australia). Revisions occurred after each trial to incorporate lessons learned in order for a more systematic strategy to be applied which lead to the version used during this rotation. The trial runs from Expedition Two also included a GPS/GIS software application using data from data loggers (a combination of field equipment that included digital camera, GPS, PDA's, and voice recorders) intergrated into a formatted photo documentation website where images and GIS maps are linked by GPS tracking log from the field. Both GPS/GIS website and Compendium (used during the Mobile Agents rotation) will be used during this rotation to compare which dataset storage system is the most effective for collaboration and analysis.