Clearpath Robotics Husky A200 Unmanned Ground Vehicle in Training for NASA’s HI-SEAS Study

Clearpath Robotics’ Husky A200 has joined Dr. Jean Hunter and Dr. Kim Binstead, for a two week training session at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah in preparation for the four-month Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS).

Kitchener, Ontario (I-Newswire) January 21, 2013 - Clearpath Robotics’ Husky A200 Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) has joined Dr. Jean Hunter (Cornell University), Dr. Kim Binstead (University of Hawaii), and six crew members for a two week training session at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah in preparation for the four-month Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS).

Beginning in April, HI-SEAS will bring volunteer crew members together in a simulated Mars environment for 120 days to research new forms of food and food preparation for long-term space missions. Additionally, Simon Engler, from the University of Calgary, will be on hand with the Husky A200. Engler will be focusing on astronaut-robot interaction and robot companionship studies.

Playing a key role in Engler’s research is Clearpath Robotics’ small but mighty UGV, the Husky A200. Already being used for methane detection studies by the Autonomous Space Robotics Lab (ASRL) at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, the Husky’s agility in rugged terrain, combined with its easygoing, user friendly nature, is quickly making it the go-to platform for Mars robotics research around the world. HI-SEAS currently uses the Husky to study robot operation while wearing a dexterity-impeding spacesuit and as a useful tool, for example, for transporting rock samples back to the base station.

“The Husky is perfectly suited to the rugged terrain that will be faced on this, and future Mars research missions,” says Matthew Rendall, CEO of Clearpath Robotics. “Having Clearpath platforms involved in, and trusted for, such important work is a great feeling.”

The HI-SEAS team is currently at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah for a two week warm up before the official project kick off in Hawaii, and the Husky has wasted no time making friends. "We're all very excited about the rover, and it's slowly turning into a 7th crew member" says Crew Commander, Angelo Vermeulen.