Pavilion Lake Research Project:

Nuytco Research is pleased to participate again in 2011 with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency in the international, multidisciplinary MARSLIFE/Pavilion Lake Research Project team as it explores, studies and documents unusual freshwater biological/geological formations in Kelly Lake, BC, Canada. The research project blends science and technology to advance knowledge of astrobiology and study life in an extreme environment using a combination of underwater vehicles and scuba divers. Check out the Youtube video below to see the scientists and subs in action at Pavilion Lake in 2010 (sub footage starts at 3:15).

Video: ©Dale Andersen.

The project presents a unique opportunity to integrate science and exploration field activities. The challenges associated with conducting scientific research in an extreme environment make this project an excellent analogue for the development of develop future exploration concepts for human research voyages to such destinations as near-Earth asteroids, Mars, and other destinations in space.

This year at Kelly Lake , the team will use Nuytco's 'DeepWorker' submersibles to launch new tools, such as the Exploration Ground Data Systems developed at NASA's Ames Research Center to enable them to rapidly synthesize, manage and analyze large data sets, as well as plan and manage flight scheduling. Also new in 2011 is the "delayed communications" research that will build 50-second communication delays between the submarine pilot and the mission operations crew to simulate conducting science on asteroids with human explorers.

The multi-year project contributes to the long-term objective of human exploration of the Moon and Mars by combining research on life in extreme environments with high fidelity training in an underwater, remote field setting. Information gained from this analog project will help to improve the knowledge base, tools and techniques of future human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

To view the project web page (external link) and see the DeepWorkers in action, click here.