For the foreseeable future, our explorers to other worlds will be robots. Many questions about controlling robotic explorers, communicating with them over vast distances, and how well they will survive long duration treks and harsh condition, are currently unanswered. Funded by NASA, the Atacama Desert Trek will break new ground in the areas of robotic communication and imagery. Innovative precision pointing of Nomad's antenna to a satellite relay station will provide data rates much greater than previously attainable from a moving platform. With this bandwidth the robot can deliver live 360° panoramic imagery of its surroundings. This imagery will be displayed live on a 10 foot high, 35 foot wide projection screen at the ElectricHorizon theatre in the Science Center.

In the Atacama desert, Nomad will traverse harsh terrain analogous to that found on the Moon and planets. The robot's four wheel drive/four wheel steering locomotion and innovative suspension system will provide effective traction, mobility, and propulsion across loose sands, rocks and soils typical of the Atacama landscape. Unique to Nomad, the chassis expands, increasing the wheel base and track for improved stability over rugged terrain. Nomad also has a visual guidance system that calculates the robot's location by tracking landmarks on the skyline. During periods of lost or degraded communications, Nomad will use its onboard navigation sensors to continue its mission, choosing its own path until communications are reestablished.

The Atacama Desert Trek is moving high performance robotic technologies out of the laboratory and toward space. Beyond its technical objectives, the Atacama Desert Trek will set new standards of public involvement and educational outreach. With capabilities forged in the desert, Nomad will serve as the precursor to robotic explorers destined for other worlds.

Atacama Trek Objectives Primary Objective: travel 200 km under transcontinental supervision Secondary Objectives: demonstrate precision antenna pointing perform remote geological investigations test skyline landmark navigation involve the public demonstrate onboard obstacle detection/avoidance demonstrate all wheel steering and locomotion test utility of panospheric (360° field of view) camera	Atacama Desert Facts location Salar de Atacama, Republic of Chile precipitation 1 cm/year from fog rainfall once every 100 years vegetation none temperature 0°C to 25°C each day (avg) average elevation 2400 m time zone Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT)
State Side Operations Control Centers Carnegie Science Center (Pittsburgh PA) NASA Ames Research Center Display 6m diameter panoramic screen User Interface nomad motion feedback chair joystick control heads-up overlay of instruments	Trek Schedule June 1-14 pre-mission operations in Chile June 15-22 remote operations evaluation June 18 public driving begins June 23-30 remote geological investigations July 1-15 nomad systems evaluation July 16-29 performance limits evaluation July 31 remote operations end

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Nomad Specifications

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