Yet, NASA already has been taking steps in a Utah desert that may lead the space agency even beyond the creative imagination of science fiction writers.

"One of our biggest problems is to break out of preconceived notions rooted in science fiction or existing robotic technology," said Bill Clancey, principal investigator for the mobile agent software project at NASA Ames Research Center, located in California's Silicon Valley.

"By building prototypes and testing them, we can discover what's the appropriate design concept."

For the last three years, near Hanksville, Utah, located in the Southeast Desert, NASA scientists and robots have boldly moved out onto the barren landscape with the goal of advancing robotics, so human-robot teams one day can explore the moon and Mars more effectively.

For more than a week in early spring, a group of NASA scientists, engineers and robots have entered the desert to simulate geology explorations of other planets.

Ambitious goals were set for this year's Utah field expedition, April 3 to April 16, 2005. One objective was to encourage robots to work together to help 'astronauts' maintain a connection to a wireless computer network, according to Clancey.

"The robot is a tool to help people make scientific discoveries," Clancey said, explaining that the robot is another device being added to NASA's scientific tool kit.

"As you look at NASA's exploration vision to return to the moon and go on to Mars, human-robotic cooperation will be vital to achieve that vision," said Eugene Tu, deputy director for the Exploration Technology Directorate at NASA Ames.

"In order for human beings to work effectively in extreme environments, such as the moon and Mars for long durations, astronauts will require the assistance of robotic systems for such tasks as making science discoveries, constructing human habitats, maintaining habitat environments and performing other scientific studies," Tu explained.

"Human-robotic interactions can best be improved through in-situ experiments, during which people and robots do authentic work," said Clancey.

This year's project took place at the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), a 20-minute drive from Hanksville, Utah, or four hours from Salt Lake City.

"April is the most variable month in the desert. At that time, it's a transition from temperatures in the 50's (degrees Fahrenheit) (10 degrees Celsius), which occur in March, and the 80's (degrees Fahrenheit) (27 degrees Celsius), which happen May," Clancey noted.

"It's a high desert - about 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) in elevation. I've been there three times before, and during that time, we've had dust storms, mud, severe lightning and snow flurries.

"It can be wonderful, and it can be very uncomfortable. We tell people to bring winter clothes with them - a hat and gloves - because you can always shed layers."

Two robot prototypes participated in the 2005 Utah field operation as part of the Extra-Vehicular Activity Robotic Assistant (ERA) project, which is based at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston.

Each four-wheeled ERA robot, with antennas and other instruments sprouting up from its main body, stands about as tall as a human being. Some 20 scientists and engineers from NASA Ames and NASA Johnson Space Center participated in the tests.

"In this third year, we are attempting to show interactions between the ERA and two geologists," Clancey said prior to the field test. "The ERA will attempt to keep the geologists on the wireless (computer) network," Clancey added.

Developed at NASA Johnson Space Center, the robotic assistant responds to voice commands. Engineers designed the robots to be test-beds for research that would lead to the development of specifications and eventually, successful cooperation among suited astronauts and autonomous robots.

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