Rover Driver, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Paolo Bellutta started has a long career in helping robots find their way around. He developed systems that used simple techniques to help robotic rovers avoid obstacles -- not an easy task. His skills are key in keeping rovers such as Spirit, Opportunity and Curiousity rolling on Mars, a distant, rugged world of treacherous rocky slopes and deep sand traps.
What is your contribution to the Mars Exploration Rovers mission?
I am one of the few people on earth that has a Martian drivers license! For quite a few years now I spend my days trucking the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, on the surface of Mars. Together with scientists we decide where to move the rovers, and part of my job is to determine how safely reach our goals.
We do not use joysticks or steering wheels, and we do not drive the rovers interactively but we provide a list of instructions to each rover instead. It is not an easy job, mostly because we have to imagine all the possible negative outcomes of our (rover) actions and make sure the rovers can detect potential dangers and avoid getting into trouble.
Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts we do get the rovers in trouble, and it is our job to get them back safe under our control. Mars is a very harsh planet but so far we have managed to keep them safe and productive. My most difficult moment was when after months and months of studying all the data that Opportunity returned from Victoria Crater I was asked to provide the list of commands to let the rover enter the crater. Was the rover in the correct place, was the rover heading in the correct direction? Will the rover be able to leave the crater once all the science data was collected? Nobody knew. I just had to trust I had done everything I could to analyze all the data, think to all possible consequences of the rovers actions.
What advice can you offer to young scientists or engineers?
Curiosity is your best ally. Never stop and just accept the facts as they have been explained to you. Find the roots of knowledge. Never stop learning. This will leave your mind open, inquisitive.
Use your common sense and your immagination. What would you do if your life, your job, your everything depended on your next decision? Know your limits, push your limits but know when, and dont be ashamed to ask for help.
What are your dreams for the future of exploration?
I have this picture in my head of a family, Mom and Dad with their kids on a trip during spring break and are reading the commemorative plate describing the remarkable accomplishments of MER ... at the Spirit or Opportunity memorial site on Mars.
What excites you about Mars or about space exploration?
The unknown. The fact that nobody else has been there. Seeing things nobody else has seen. It is my natural curiosity left running wild.
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