Drone and Rover Technology Contract Awarded by NASA to Red Cat Holdings
NASA has awarded a contract to Red Cat Holdings subsidiary Skypersonic to develop drone and rover technology, including software, hardware and support, for its simulated Mars mission.
"Remote piloting changes the entire drone ecosystem by reducing the biggest cost of drone fleet programs, the one pilot to one drone ratio."
Jeff Thompson, Red Cat's Chief Executive Officer.
Each mission will consist of four crew members living and working in a 1,700-square-foot module 3D-printed by ICON, called Mars Dune Alpha. The habitat will simulate the challenges of a mission on Mars, including resource limitations, equipment failure, communication delays, and other environmental stressors. Crew tasks may include simulated spacewalks, scientific research, use of virtual reality and drone and rover technology, and exchanging communications. The results will provide important scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions.
During the mission, the crew will conduct simulated spacewalks and simulated operations by remote piloting Skypersonic drones and rover in a simulated Martian environment. Skypersonic's Dronebox real-time transoceanic remote piloting platform will drive the piloting of both the drones and the rover.
Applicants for the Mars Dune Alpha mission were required to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers, age 30 to 55 years old, and proficient in English for effective communication between crew and mission control. Crew selection will follow standard NASA criteria for astronaut candidate applicants.
A master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, or biological, physical or computer science from an accredited institution with at least two years of professional STEM experience or a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft is required. Candidates who have completed two years of work toward a doctoral program in STEM, or completed a medical degree, or a test pilot program will also be considered. Additionally, with four years of professional experience, applicants who have completed military officer training or a Bachelor of Science in a STEM field were considered. The initial application period has closed.
"We are excited NASA selected Skypersonic's technology to operate its drones and rover in the simulated Mars environment based on its functionality, and to be involved in a project that is the precursor to human operations on other planets," stated Giuseppe Santangelo, CEO of Skypersonic.
"Red Cat is honored to have Skypersonic working with NASA on this important scientific Mars project. We believe our patent pending remote pilot capability is a game changer in the drone industry," added Jeff Thompson, Red Cat's Chief Executive Officer. "Remote piloting changes the entire drone ecosystem by reducing the biggest cost of drone fleet programs, the one pilot to one drone ratio."
(Source: Red Cat Holdings news release. Additional information and image provided by NASA)