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Perseverance Rover
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover landed on Mars in 2021 with the mission of searching for signs of ancient microbial life and collecting rock samples for future analysis on Earth. As someone with an interest in space exploration, I was inspired to design my own concept for a Mars rover interface.
The goal of this case study was to analyze the rover's existing cameras, instruments, and operational capabilities, and explore how this information could be presented effectively to users on Earth via a dashboard. In doing so, I considered unique challenges such as communication delays, vast distances, and the need to support informed decision-making with limited real-time interaction.
This project also allowed me to demonstrate skills and workflows similar to those I applied while working at Torc Robotics. In that role, I contributed to systems that supported the remote monitoring and navigation of autonomous semi-trucks, where camera feeds, situational awareness, and waypoint placement were critical to operations. Many of these principles translate naturally to the challenges of remotely operating and monitoring a Mars rover, making this project an opportunity to explore those concepts in a new and exciting context.
WAYPOINT DROPPING
DROPPING WAYPOINTS
Navigation & Mission Planning
9
Orbital-Assisted Route Planning — Integrates HiRISE orbital imagery, elevation data, and terrain cost maps to support strategic route planning and waypoint placement. 2
10
Waypoint Navigation Tools— Enables operators to place and manage navigation waypoints while adhering to mission constraints, including a maximum distance of 100 meters between consecutive waypoints. 2
11
Autonomous Drive Planning— Supports navigation decisions through the visualization of drive vectors, estimated runtime, terrain costs, and route feasibility metrics. Functionality was informed by a 2023 study by Pablo Muñoz, Pablo Bellutta, and Maria Moreno on Mars rover path planning. 4
Navigation & Mission Planning
9
Orbital - Assisted Rote Planning — Integrates HiRISE orbital imagery, elevation data, and terrain cost maps to support strategic route planning and waypoint placement. 2
10
Waypoint Navigation Tools — Enables operators to place and manage navigation waypoints while adhering to mission constraints, including a maximum distance of 100 meters between consecutive waypoints. 2
11
Autonomous Drive Planning — Supports navigation decisions through the visualization of drive vectors, estimated runtime, terrain costs, and route feasibility metrics. Functionality was informed by a 2023 study by Pablo Muñoz, Pablo Bellutta, and Maria Moreno on Mars rover path planning. 4
Research & Design Process
DISCOVERY
Researched the Perseverance rover's operational tools, scientific instruments, and cameras to understand their purpose, capabilities, and physical placement on the vehicle.
Analyzed how rover operators assess terrain and soil conditions, identifying key metrics such as slope, sinkage risk, elevation, and surface characteristics that influence navigation and sample collection decisions.
Studied rover status systems, including RTG power generation, battery health, and Earth-to-Mars communication latency, to understand how these factors impact mission planning and navigation decisions.
Evaluated scientific and environmental metrics monitored throughout the mission, including atmospheric conditions, MOXIE oxygen production data, and rover location tracking, to identify information that should remain visible within the interface.
Investigated the waypoint planning process to determine what information operators need before and during route creation, ensuring critical decision-making data was surfaced at the appropriate stages of the workflow.
Examined research papers and technical documentation describing Mars rover path-planning workflows, waypoint placement strategies, and autonomous navigation constraints.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Conducted an analysis of existing mission control and rover interfaces developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), identifying established patterns for monitoring, navigation, and scientific operations.
Reviewed conceptual rover interfaces created by other designers, as well as depictions of rover operations in science-fiction media such as The Martian, to explore alternative approaches to information architecture and situational awareness.
ANALYZE DATA
Synthesized research findings into a navigation workflow designed around delayed communication, creating an interaction model that supports planning and decision-making without relying on real-time rover control.
DEFINE REQUIREMENTS
Translated research insights into interface requirements, prioritizing situational awareness, terrain analysis, scientific exploration, and mission planning within a single cohesive user experience.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Designed and iterated on the interface based on research insights and user requirements, refining workflows, information architecture, and interactions to address the unique constraints of remote Mars rover operations.
Final Interface DEsign
INTERFACE DESIGN
KEY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Mission Awarness
1
Communication Latency Awareness — Displays Earth-to-Mars communication delays, which can range from approximately 4 to 44 minutes round-trip depending on the relative positions of the planets, helping operators plan and sequence activities accordingly. 5
2
Situational Awareness Dashboard — Consolidates navigation, communication, terrain, power, and scientific data into a unified workspace, enabling users to make informed decisions despite significant communication delays and limited direct control of the rove
3
Power System Monitoring — Provides visibility into the rover's Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG), including power generation, battery charge levels, and overall system health. 21
Environmental & Terrain Assessment
4
Terrain Analysis Visualization — Highlights key mobility considerations such as terrain slope and wheel sinkage risk, allowing operators to evaluate traversability and make informed navigation decisions. 9, 22
5
Immersive Camera System — Incorporates the rover's primary navigation and science cameras, including the two forward-facing Navcams, surround-view Hazard Cameras (Hazcams), the SuperCam, and WATSON. 4
6
Human - Centered Camera Orientation — Camera feeds are presented from the perspective of a user standing within the environment rather than from a technical hardware layout. This approach was chosen to improve situational awareness, reduce cognitive effort, and accelerate scene comprehension.
Key Design Considerations Annotated
Scientific Exploration
7
MOXIE Telemetry — Displays data from the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), which generates and analyzes oxygen produced from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere. 21
8
Soil Analysis Workflow — Given that geological and soil analysis are central objectives of the Perseverance mission, the interface prioritizes tools, camera views, and scientific instruments that facilitate the identification, inspection, and collection of samples. These include the SuperCam, which enables remote rock analysis at distances of up to 7 meters, and WATSON, which supports close-range inspection of rocks, soil, and terrain features. 21, 19, 18
INTERFACE DESIGN
KEY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Mission Awareness
1
Communication Latency Awareness — Displays Earth-to-Mars communication delays, which can range from approximately 4 to 44 minutes round-trip depending on the relative positions of the planets, helping operators plan and sequence activities accordingly. 5
2
Situational Awareness Dashboard — Consolidates navigation, communication, terrain, power, and scientific data into a unified workspace, enabling users to make informed decisions despite significant communication delays and limited direct control of the rover.
3
Power System Monitoring — Provides visibility into the rover's Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG), including power generation, battery charge levels, and overall system health. 21
Environmental & Terrain Assesment
4
Terrain Analysis Visualization — Highlights key mobility considerations such as terrain slope and wheel sinkage risk, allowing operators to evaluate traversability and make informed navigation decisions. 9, 22
5
Immersive Camera System — Incorporates the rover's primary navigation and science cameras, including the two forward-facing Navcams, surround-view Hazard Cameras (Hazcams), the SuperCam, and WATSON. 4
6
Human - Centered Camera Orientation — Camera feeds are presented from the perspective of a user standing within the environment rather than from a technical hardware layout. This approach was chosen to improve situational awareness, reduce cognitive effort, and accelerate scene comprehension.
Key Design Considerations Annotated
Scientific Exploration
7
MOXIE Telemetry — Displays data from the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), which generates and analyzes oxygen produced from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere. 21
8
Soil Analysis Workflows — Given that geological and soil analysis are central objectives of the Perseverance mission, the interface prioritizes tools, camera views, and scientific instruments that facilitate the identification, inspection, and collection of samples. These include the SuperCam, which enables remote rock analysis at distances of up to 7 meters, and WATSON, which supports close-range inspection of rocks, soil, and terrain features. 21, 19, 18
REFERENCES
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