Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!cat.cis.Brown.EDU!agate!ames!kronos.arc.nasa.gov!doctor
From: doctor@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Terry Fong)
Subject: Dante II - Mt. Spurr Expedition Status (24-Jul-94)
Message-ID: <1994Jul31.081254.28125@ptolemy-ethernet.arc.nasa.gov>
Summary: status information on CMU/NASA volcano robot explorer
Keywords: Dante, teleoperations, volcano, Alaska
Sender: usenet@ptolemy-ethernet.arc.nasa.gov (usenet@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov)
Nntp-Posting-Host: tardis.arc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA Ames Intelligent Mechanisms Group
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 1994 08:12:54 GMT
Lines: 65

The following is a status update on the Dante II project. Dante II is
an eight-legged robot (developed by the CMU Robotics Institute with
sponsorship from NASA) which is currently descending into the active
crater of Mt. Spurr, an Alaskan volcano 80 miles west of Anchorage,
Alaska. The primary objective of the Dante II project is to develop and
evaluate new techniques and technologies which can be applied to space
and planetary exploration. 

Throughout the Mt. Spurr expedition, Dante II is being remotely
operated from a base station in Anchorage using control station
software developed at CMU and NASA Ames. Live video coverage is
periodically available via NASA Select. Full mission details including
current status, real-time images/video, and technical data is available
via a WorldWideWeb server provided by the NASA Ames Intelligent
Mechanisms Group. This site can be accessed on the Internet using
information browsers such as NCSA Mosaic and the URL:

	http://maas-neotek.arc.nasa.gov/dante

Questions regarding the Dante II project may be addressed to me via email 
(terry@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov). Reponse time may be slow.

Terry Fong
NASA Ames Research Center

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Daily Report (24-Jul-1994)

Due to the flight availability restrictions for the Alaska National
Guard Blackhawk helicopter (see previous status report), the Dante
robot remained at it's location on the dirt airstrip two miles from
the Mt. Spurr crater peak.  The deployment team in Anchorage had no
duties or activities today, other than to monitor the weather
conditions (which continue to be marginal) and await Monday's flight
opportunities (if any).

However, there was some activity at the dirt airstrip where Tim
Hegadorn and Jim Gove remain camped to protect the robot.  Although it
may have been overlooked in the previous status report, it is worth
mentioning that they are there to guard the robot not from curious
onlookers or potential human vandals, but primarily to protect the
robot from bears (several of which were sited during yesterday's
flights).

During the course of the night, a large brown bear emerged from the
brush surrounding the airstrip and began gnawing at the foam rubber
packing around the satellite feed horn.  The bear was initially scared
away with an air horn.  But the bear returned a few hours later to
further gnaw at the satellite equipment.  This time, warning shots had
to fired over the head of the bear before it left the area.  As of
this evening, the bear had not returned to molest either the robot
equipment or the guards (although they are watching very
carefully!).

From here, we begin a day-to-day weather hold until flyable conditions
are achieved.  Once the robot is on the crater rim, it can operate in
almost any weather condition and the mission will proceed.

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-- 
_______________________________________________________________________________
 "Every once in a while declare        Terry Fong <terry@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov>
  peace. It confuses the hell out      NASA Ames, M/S 269-3, Moffett Field, CA
  of your enemies" -- Rule of Acq. #76      (415) 604-6063, (415) 604-6081 lab
