Please contact the URC Director if you have any questions.

[1.Q]  Do we have to analyze the soil at each site? Or can we do a sample return and analyze it back at HQ?

[1.A]  All data collection must be performed in situ.  The team may only analyze the raw data returned by the rover, not the soil itself.

[2.Q] Is there a possibility that a competition could be scheduled at night/early evening?

[2.A] All of the competition events will be held in full daylight.

[3.Q] Is there a cap on how many people we can have on the team?

[3.A] No, as long as all other applicable rules regarding team members are followed.

[4.Q] There's no paper aside from the financial report due at the end of the competition, right?

[4.A]  Aside from the financial report due at the beginning of competition, there are various specifications due May 1, as noted through the rules.  There is no formal abstract or paper due, though, for the competition. All teams are highly encouraged to submit abstracts for and present at the 12th Annual Mars Society Convention in Washington, DC. Teams who present have the opportunity to submit full papers to be published by the Mars Society's MarsPapers.

[5.Q] Are overamplified communications devices permitted?

[5.A] All communications devices used must adhear to FCC standards.  Any modified devices must be documented and submitted for approval alongside a statement of applicable FCC regulations.  Team members are permitted to obtain and utilize any relavent licenses, but must document the license, applicable regulations, and devices as part of the communications documentation deadline.

[6.Q] For the Construction Task, should we expect the possibility that the plane of the panel will be tilted negatively from the horizon?

[6.A] As specified in the rules: "The bolts will be placed between 15cm and 75cm above the ground, and may lie at inclinations of no more than 45° in either direction from the horizontal plane."  So, the short answer is yes.

[7.Q] For those tasks requiring high-resolution images, would a 640x480 image be of high enough resolution, or are you looking for 800x600 and above?

[7.A] There is no specific minimum resolution requirement.  The most important requirement with cameras is to obtain usable and useful images (i.e. a 1280x1024 image that is washed out and has almost no color depth is not as good as a 640x480 image that is perfectly focused, has good white balance, and is clear).  It should go without saying that assuming all other aspects of the images are constant, higher resolution is better; however resolution is just one aspect of a quality image.

[8.Q] For the remote science report due at the end of the Extremophile Search Tasks, do those need to be printed or is a soft copy on a disk or flash drive sufficient?

[8.A] A written report is actually not due for the two science tasks.  Instead, teams will be giving a field briefing to the judges - 15 minutes to present data of interest in any format deemed appropriate, and also to field questions from the judges.  The data used in the presentation can be on a laptop or monitor, or can be printed if the team supplies its own printer.  Teams will be judged on the effectiveness at presenting meaningful analysis over the course of those 15 minutes, and are not required to submit any hard documentation.

[9.Q] In the remote science documentation definition, it asks for a panorama with cardinal directions on the picture and some indication of scale. Scaling a panorama is not really useful because in the stitching process of combining pictures, the ranges are often distorted so that the image can fit the entire horizon. This creates a tunnel vision like phenomenon and scale is not very useful. Panoramas are used to get an entire horizon shot with the most information in them. Scale is used for high resolution imaging to locate or analyze a single subject.  Should teams be prepared to present some form of scale in our panorama?

[9.A] The wide-angle panorama is not required to be a 360 degree horizon image, and thus does not require image stitching (that is not to say that stitched images aren't allowed, or aren't useful in their own right).  The intent of the wide-angle image is to provide perspective of the sample location with respect to the local geography and other features of interest.  The requested scale indication should be applicable to the sample region, and does not need to be perfectly precise.  While a highly accurate scale is always desirable, the main intent of the scale in a wide-angle shot is to provide an order-of-magnitude level of spacial awareness (in the desert, without a known size reference, 100 meter features can easily appear to be close up shots of 10 meter features).

[10.Q] In regards to the Surveying Task:
- Approximately how many markers will teams be required to survey?
- How will teams be scored in this task?
- Are teams required to survey from the specified location or is there no restriction on where teams can survey from? More specifically, can teams survey from multiple positions?
- Does this task involve 2-D surveying (where all known/unknown points are assumed to be in the horizontal plane) or 3-D surveying, where any marker could be at an arbitrary elevation, including the unknown markers?

[10.A] - Teams will be required to survey anywhere between 4 and 12 markers (exact number will be announced on-site), partially based on the actual task time frame (30-50 minutes, based on the number of teams and other scheduling details).
- Teams will be scored based on the number of targets identified and the accuracy for each of those localizations.
- The observation point provided will just be a recommended vantage point that will be both accessible, and provide a view of all markers. Teams may seek and drive to any/multiple vantage points at their own discretion (teams are not required to visit the specified point).
- This is intended to be a 3-D surveying task. Because landmarks with provided reference coordinates can include peaks of large hills that are above the horizon line, there will be sufficient opportunity to establish a vertical reference.

[11.Q] Regarding the map provided for the Surveying Task:
- What does "major visible landmarks" refer to? And will they be marked with flags as well?
- How many "precise coordinates of major visible landmarks" will teams be given?
- What kind of map will be provided? Will it contain elevations? A scale? Will it have the locations of the given points, as well as the markers (pipes) marked on it?

[11.A] - Major visible landmarks" refers to anything readily visible in the foreground, background, or anywhere in between. Examples would include the peak of a hill that appears above the horizon, extremely large boulders, or anything else that would lend itself to a precise, single coordinate being given for that feature (however these will not be marked with a flag).
- The number of such landmarks that will be given will largely be driven by the exact task site, and the terrain that is there - but there will be sufficient coordinates given to enable teams to localize the rover and the target markers.
- The map/coordinates provided will include elevations, and scale. Teams will be told the number of target markers that are in the field, and be given the general area that the markers are in, but not where within that area the specific markers lie.

[12.Q] For the extremophile search task, what exactly is meant by "minimally invasive?" Surface photography only? Or will teams be allowed to chip or drill pieces of the rock away?

[12.A] "Minimally invasive" means that teams are permitted to probe the ground, and take small samples, with discretion. Teams should keep in mind that many teams will be investigating the same sample sites, so rovers cannot cause major changes that will impact other competitors (including leaving excessively large holes, and causing significant disturbance to the soil). As a general rule of thumb, teams should design their systems to take only the amount of soil needed to perform a given test, and minimize visual disturbance. If there is still uncertainty regarding a particular science package design, teams are encouraged to discuss designs with the URC Director in advance.

[13.Q] Regarding the rule stating that tethered lighter-than-air devices cannot be used for direct observation or reconnaissance, however can be implemented for communications:
Does this rule also apply to the rover or just to the command and control tent?

[13.A] That specific rule only applies to the command and control tent. Hybrid vehicles that deploy lighter-than-air devices must conform to all other applicable rules (in particular, rules 1.b.i and 1.b.ii). While rule 1.b.ii (quoted below) refers specifically to traditional untethered unmanned aircraft, tethered aircraft (including tethered lighter-than-air devices) must also adhere to any applicable FAA requirements.

• 1.b.ii. Any airborne vehicles must meet any and all FAA (United States Federal Aviation Authority) guidelines that apply to operating unmanned aircraft in a remote area. It will be the responsibility of each team to research any such FAA requirements and provide documentation to the judges prior to May 1, 2009.
  
  

[14.Q] In regards to the Extremophile Search Task, is the soil composition going to be such that we would be able to just scoop it up, or is it going to be compacted enough that we would need a drill? Also, besides the GPS coordinates of the site will there be any other indication of where to perform the soil tests? There won’t be large purple or green patches of cyanobacteria in plain view, right? How dispersed throughout the soil will they be? Will we need to test multiple times in the same locale?

[14.A] For any samples collected, the primary requirement is that interaction with the rocks and soil be "minimally invasive." For more detail on how this is interpreted, please consult item 12 in the Q&A section. Also, understand that soil is not the only place where evidence of extremophiles may exist, and that there are many different types of soil conditions at MDRS (this is also partly influenced by the amount of rainfall the region receives in the late spring and early summer). There is no specific guidance on the specific sample types that teams should be prepared for (i.e. hard rock vs. soft soil). This is left as a design decision for each team.

Judges will be providing rough GPS coordinates and general descriptions of each sample site. Otherwise, no markers will be provided. It is the intent of this task that teams search for any evidence of extremophiles, and make the case for their existence. Depending on the amount of rain that the region has received throughout the spring, the relative levels of reflected light in the spectra of interest can be higher than would otherwise be encountered throughout the year. This does not mean that teams should expect to encounter bright green patches with high contrast from the background (teams are, after all, searching for extremophiles), but teams will be afforded a seasonal advantage. Also, remember that a major component of this task will be how well teams justify their results in the field briefing based on the data that they did collect.

[15.Q] Can teams expect access to a live internet connection during the competition?

[15.A] Teams can expect there to be an internet connect at the MDRS Hab itself, where a primary base of operations will be set up for teams. The actual task sites will not have internet connections.

[16.Q] If used equipment is implemented, should teams be tracking the used or new cost towards budget limits?

[16.A] If used equipment is commercially accessible, and in a similar condition to the equipment being used, then the used value may be applied. If no used market exists for a component, then the value of a new component must be applied.

[17.Q] Is flipping over rocks, or removing a rock and then returning it to its original location, considered invasive?

[17.A] In general, physically manipulating a rock for closer inspection is not considered to be invasive as long as it is done with discretion. Teams are strongly advised against "stirring up" a collection of rocks in a disorganized manner (i.e. sweeping over several dozen rocks quickly, thus upsetting the local region). However, it is completely permissible for teams to target specific samples, and acquire and manipulate them. Teams should make reasonable efforts to return samples to their original orientation when feasible.

[18.Q]For the Extremophile Search Task, detailed spectral analysis is an option that increases the budget (not to mention complexity) of our rover to a level that may not be feasible. So our question is: How firm are the budget restrictions? With in-kind donations we think it might be possible to perform this type of analysis. Otherwise our only option is to purchase an inexpensive ($200) digital microscope and try to image the bacteria with that. However, to find naturally occurring cyanobacteria with this method would be nearly impossible. So our other question is: Are judges going to seed the sites with additional bacteria, so the population density is greater?

[18.A] The objective of this task isn't necessarily to find conclusive proof of the cyanobacteria, but rather to build the case that a particular site likely contains cyanobacteria (recall that Section 3.c of the rules states that "in the field briefing to judges, teams will be required to describe and analyze their data, and provide a justified prioritization of specific sites that would merit further investigation, or a sample return"). Regarding the cost of various tool and sensors, this is one of many trades that teams are required to make as part of their design process. Part of the judges' decision will also focus on how well teams have used the tools that they do have, and how well they interpreted the data returned to make an educated analysis. The judges will ensure that this task is feasible in terms of finding sufficient opportunities for data collection to enable an educated analysis.

In regards to the budget restrictions - these are firm limits. Teams may only field equipment that is listed on their budget submission. Teams should also take note of Section 4.a.ii of the rules, which is a change for URC 2009:

• "Teams may acquire in-kind donations of equipment. Such donations will count towards the cash budget at its documented value. Corporate sponsorship is encouraged."
  
  

[19.Q] The creation of our rover this year incorporates various components from last year's rover. For our budget, can we use an IRS depreciation value for the cost of these reused parts?

[19.A] The primary guidance for valuing reused components is covered in Section 4.a.iv of the rules:

• "4.a.iv. Any parts and/or components purchased in previous years and/or leveraged from previous rovers or projects for the URC 2009 rover shall be valued at current prices (teams must be prepared to document valuations). In the case of discontinued or outdated components, the price of a reasonable substitute must be documented."

For 2009, teams may have the option of using either the method covered above, or using a documented depreciation value for any items donated/purchased for previous competitions. Team are not required to use one method consistently across their entire budget, however any methods used must be documented. For information regarding depreciation, teams may consult the U.S. Internal Revenue Service's website.

[20.Q] Is it allowable for a team member to follow the rover as a standby for intervention? Specifically, they are there to hit our kill switch in case of an overcurrent condition (that would kill our computer/motor controller).

[20.A] Teams may allow a member to walk on the course along/near the rover, and use his/her judgment to activate a kill switch if conditions warrant such an action. This individual may not otherwise interfere with the rover, and must do everything reasonable to stay out of view of the rover's sensors/cameras. If the judges feel that this individual is providing feedback to the rover or rest of the team through the rover's sensors, the judges may elect to penalize the team accordingly. Similarly, this individual may not communicate with team members in the command and control tent via voice, radio, etc.; however this individual can be utilized as a "runner" per section 3.g of the rules. If this individual chooses to activate the kill switch, the team's run for that task is immediately over, and may not be re-started, even if the kill was inappropriately activated (i.e. there was no overcurrent situation).

[21.Q] For the Emergency Navigation Task, are teams required to utilize the VELCRO style fastener to secure the box, or are other fasteners (ropes, tie downs) allowed?

[21.A] Per the rules, teams are required to use the VELCRO method for securing the box. The idea behind this is that it is a fast and easy way for astronauts to load/unload a rover while wearing a suit, particularly if that astronaut is distressed.