NASA NEEMO
Summary
The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations project (NEEMO) is an analog mission used to prepare and train astronauts, engineers and scientists for future space exploration. NEEMO missions take place in Aquarius, the only permanent underwater research lab in the world. The Aquarius habitat is located off the coast of Islamorada in the Florida Keys.
As a Mission Specialist for NASA NEEMO 22 and 23, I was in charge of RFID tracking for boats, equipment, crew and environmental sensors.
What I did:
Designed the AllTraq web app
RFID tracking demo at Johnson Space Center
Onsite Mission Specialist for the duration of the 15 day mission
AllTraq Installation at topside Mission Control, install support for habitat
Vector map creation from 3D scans
Crew training and topside support
Managed RFID tracking for crew, equipment, boats and habitat
AllTraq API integration with NASA Playbook mission management software
Mission Debrief with crew to improve the system and software
Mission Goals
Allow the crew and science teams to find things quickly.
Increase productivity, reduce task time.
Gain insights for future missions.
Challenges
Diverse users (age, experience, nationality)
Implement feature requests before and during the mission.
Design, test and implement on a short timeline.
NEEMO 22 crew outside the Aquarius habitat. Photo courtesy of NASA.
Interior of the Aquarius habitat. Photo courtesy of NASA.
I built accurate 2D maps from 3D scan data for realtime precision tracking inside the habitat and topside Mission Control.
My team worked with the talented folks at JPL to integrate AllTraq tracking and sensor data into Playbook - NASA's mission management software.
NEEMO missions are supported by a talented topside support group that includes mission specialists, science teams, CAPCOMs and dive teams.
I made some AllTraq swag bags for the various teams that included t-shirts and stickers.
My son looking less than thrilled surrounded by people holding NASA team awards.
How did it go?
Using previous missions as a baseline, Mission Commanders noted increased productivity for crew tasks and for science teams. Better inventory management improved the potting process at the beginning of the mission and packing up at the end of the mission.
AllTraq saves the day!
The Neuro-cognitive team had equipment that was inadvertently sent back topside and left on the docks. Before the crew was to perform their procedures they noticed the equipment was not in the habitat.
The team had $40K invested into their total mission project and did not want to miss any crew data. They were able to locate the missing equipment with AllTraq and get it on the next boat out.
What did we learn?
It’s nice to search for things when you need them. It’s better if the system tells you when things are out of place before you need them.
Nothing is a total loss. Embrace failure and the scientific method. Plan to be flexible.
Research, build, test, evolve.
The simplest interface is the best.
Watch your users use the product! This was an amazing and humbling opportunity to be around a large number of people using something my team built.
Not a bad place to work for a few weeks.
