Article Review of: "The Future of Space Exploration: Robots or Astronauts?"

      

The article reviewed in this blog post is actually a collection of two smaller articles written by two professors from the University of Central Florida. The article was posted in the schools magazine and is a great piece to study because it argues both sides of the manned vs. unmanned space exploration debate.  Dr. Joshua Colewell is the associate chair of the department of physics and he argues strongly for the development of manned space exploration. Dr. Daniel Britt is a professor of astronomy as well as a specialist in the field of remote sensing. Dr. Britt’s research has produced equipment that has been used on all Mars rovers to date, including the Curiosity rover. Both professors have years of experience in the study of space exploration and research. Both professors include three major themes to each of their arguments, which are safety, monetary cost and the pursuit of human curiosity in general.

     As a Military aviator, the topic of safety resonates with me especially loud. The amount of time and effort spent on keeping humans safe during earth-based flight is enormous. When looking at outer space, not only do engineers have to spend many hours building system that can keep fragile humans safe in a harsh environment, but they have to spend many more hours building redundant systems that do the same thing as the primary systems, but with different equipment that function independently. Dr. Britt argues that the amount of time and money spent trying to build these bulky primary and backup systems will detract from the scientific research and value of the mission in whole.

     As a tax paying American, the topic of money is of large concern as well. Dr. Britt argues that the cost mentioned above in regards to redundant safety systems is something that is just not worth the effort. Dr. Colewell actually agreed with the fact that the cost of adding humans to space exploration is something that would not necessary be repaid for by advanced scientific discoveries. Often, NASA likes to compare scientific discovery to a dollar amount, but in the case of human space travel, the thing that the human race gains is not so much academic, but it is existential progress as a species.

    To consider human exploration of Mars to be essential to the existential progress of the human species is actually the root argument behind Dr. Colewells article. To some, this may pluck at their heart strings as well as allow others to reminisce about the feeling when they watched the Apollo missions land on the moon, but to the current politicians and budget analysts, this argument does not justify spending billions of dollars.

     In todays economy and political environment, I feel that are only two reasons why humans should go past the low earth orbit of the international space station. The first reason is if we discover intelligent extraterrestrial life within the reach of human space travel. The second reason is if we are required to colonize another planet due to the earth becoming either over populated or unfit for human life. Other than those two reasons, I feel the use of humans for the exploration of Mars is unjustifiable dangerous and expensive. The current department of defense research and development funding is being cut at an enormous rate each year, if we needed to also fund human exploration of Mars, on top of military research and development, we could possible lose our military technological edge that we enjoy today.    

     

References:

Colewell, J., & Britt, D. (2014, January 1). Are robots or astronauts the future of space exploration? Retrieved April 23, 2015, from http://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/opinion/

Article Review of: "A Drone Has Never Linked Up With a Tanker Until Now"

The Navy has achieved a major milestone in the field of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) on Thursday April 15^th 2015. In the airspace above the Chesapeake Bay, a Northrop Grumman X-47B UAS autonomously linked up with a Boeing 707 aerial refueling tanker. This achievement signifies a technological step that could possibly completely redefine the capability of UAS forever. Today, UAS are often lauded for their long endurance and ability to maintain eyes on the target for periods of time that manned aircraft could only dream of. By adding the ability to aerial refuel, we can keep UASs in the air for possibly weeks, not just days. For manned aircraft, crew endurance, hunger, and sleep are the limiting factor that limit mission durations. For UAS, once aerial refuel removes fuel as the limiting factor for mission duration, the the only thing holding the system back from unlimited missions is the mechanical limitations of continuously moving parts inside the system. With todays engineering and advancements in material and structural design, the future mission length of UASs could be weeks or even months.

The aerial refuel of the X-47B UAS was not the Navy’s first big step forward in terms of UAS technology. In 2013 the X-47B was the first large UAS to successfully land and take off from an aircraft carrier. This, in and of itself, was a major achievement, because combined with the range of the X-47B, the ability to launch from any where in the ocean makes it’s reach even more impressive. Now, combined with aerial refuel, the system is quickly becoming one of the most versatile unmanned systems that isn’t unclassified to the public.  Not only does the successful landing on an aircraft carrier represent a huge step forward in capability, but it also represents a huge step in safety. One of the most dangerous missions for a Naval aviator is landing on a carrier. To have a system that is completely automated, which demonstrates computer precision, could not only help save lives, but could be the key to saving millions or even billions of dollars worth of equipment that is lost during failed carrier landings or launches.

One point to note in this testing is that the UAS being used is the X-47B, which by the nature of the X in its nomenclature indicates that this system is not a future production line aircraft. The X stands for experimental, and this system has no future in combat, it’s merely a test bed to work through the technological problems like carrier landings and aerial refuel. The Navy has been working with multiple contractors such as General Atomic, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing to try to figure out what the next operational UAS of this kind will be. At the time a C variant of the X-47B is being discussed at the highest level which will be called the UCLASS, which stands for the Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike System. The Navy is concerned with the limited capabilities of current UAS platforms like the MQ-9 Reaper or the MC-1 Predator because these systems are inherently land based and most often flown in areas where friendly forces have air supremacy. Due to the fact that the Navy operates in an inherently expeditionary environment, the idea of only needing surveillance or air to ground capability does not provide the force with what they need most. In a carrier group, advanced aerial denial operations are key to protecting the fleet. Also air-to-air capability will become an essential capability if we ever go to war with a power that has a more advanced air force. 

The X-47B represents the most advance UAS technology that the Navy has. The ability to protect a carrier group, reach out and touch land based adversaries, and maintain a constant eye on the enemy is the key to the future of Naval UAS. I am excited to see how UAS technology will increase efficiencies, save lives, and make carrier operations safer. I fully support the use of UAS in Naval aviation and carrier operations and look forward to the future developments in this field.    

      

References:   

LaGrone, S. (2014, February 3). Several Reasons Why Aircraft Carriers Are Super Dangerous. Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://www.popsci.com/blog-network/shipshape/several-reasons-why-aircraft-carriers-are-super-dangerous

Northrop Grumman. (2015). X-47B UCAS. Retrieved April 17, 2015, from http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/X47BUCAS/Pages/default.aspx

Trevithick, J. (2015, April 16). A Drone Has Never Linked Up With a Tanker Until Now. Retrieved April 17, 2015, from https://medium.com/war-is-boring/a-drone-has-never-linked-up-with-a-tanker-until-now-9453016469c5

Article Review Of: "Are Unmanned Vessels the Future for the Ocean?"

The idea of boarding an unmanned airplane and taking off into the sky seems like a bridge too far for some. Many skeptics say that humans will never be flown around on airplanes without pilots. I am not sure if I agree of disagree with this concept, but what if you boarded a boat with no captain? Would that cause the same controversy? Due to the slower speeds and less congested areas on the open oceans, the future of shipping may lie in unmanned systems.

 Large cargo ships go out to sea for months at a time and due to the increased cost of fuel, cruising at slower speeds makes the overall voyage longer but more economical. For the people that work on these ships, this increased time away from home is causing hardship on both them and their families. Not only do the crewmembers suffer from the current economical environment, but in general, crews cost the shipping industry about 44 percent of the entire freighter cost. If we were able to remove the crew from the ship, we could not only let the ships cruise even slower, but shipping lines could save even more money on operational costs. In a world where globalization is outpacing resources, cutting costs and increasing efficiencies in the transportation sector is key to the future. I feel that supporting legislation and investing in the technology required to achieve the goal of unmanned cargo shipping is vital the economy of the future.  

A large debate has been stirring over the unmanning of large cargo ships. Much different than automating, the concept unmanning ships places the captain on land and allows him or her to control the ship remotely from a simulated bridge that is fed with real time information. The process would not only include modification to ships that would include additional sensors and communication devices, but it would also include integration into a global navigation network. Similar to the air control network that aircraft operate in, this marine navigation coordinated system could provide time and space deconfliction all over the world. The largest hurtle at this time in not the technology; it’s the international politics. In aviation, only part of the industry is based on international use, where as large cargo ships are used primarily to ship internationally. When you add the complexities of international law, the timeline to change current polices grows. The director of the International Chamber of Shipping believes it will be 20 to 30 years before we see unmanned ships on the ocean. A two-pronged effort must be made, one in the side of policy and procedure and the other in technology. The European Union (EU) has been one of the largest proponents out side of the military when it comes to investing in technology that supports unmanned shipping. In a program called MUNIN (Maritime Unmanned Navigation through Intelligence in Networks) the EU is trying to see how far they can automate all functions of a ship. The EU has invested a total of 4.8 million dollars to start the project.

The US department of defense is also concerned with automation of ships, but for a different reason. Right now the Navy is working on the Anti-submarine warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV). This vessel can track and follow subs long distances without risking human lives. The same technology that would apply to unmanning the ACTUV can be carried over to large cargo ships. Like so many times in the past, a conglomeration of defense technology and commercial technology leads to huge advancements in the way the world does business.

The largest group of people against the unmanning of cargo ships is the1.2M crews and families that depend on the shipping business for their livelihood. Fortunately, the unmanning process wont hurt everyone; the captains and officers would now be able to go home to their families at night instead of being gone for months at a time. Also, the technology sector that creates and builds the new components that will be required to unman ships would bluster. The people again the unmanning of ships use safety and piracy as the two main arguments. On the positive side, piracy may decrease if there is no ransom to be paid for crewmembers.

Overall, the article reviewed above sheds light into a future where shipping is safer and cheaper. The technology of unmanned systems is growing at a rapid rate, and I only hope that politics and laws can match the rate of technological innovation. Some workers would lose jobs, but overall, the world as a whole would benefit from this technology reaching the shores of every country.       

References:   

Carroll, M. (2014, July 3). Are Unmanned Vessels the Future for the Ocean? Retrieved April 12, 2015, from http://www.newsweek.com/2014/07/11/are-unmanned-vessels-future-ocean-257091.html

Article Review of: OSHKOSH DEFENSE SHOWCASES UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AT IDEX 2015

     For the military, the use of large tactical trucks has been commonplace since Soldiers started using mules to carry equipment. In today’s asymmetrical fight in both Iraq and Afghanistan, driving large vehicles through enemy territory can be extremely dangerous as well as emotionally draining to the Soldiers. The use of intra-theatre lift has become the primary mode of transportation for many Soldiers, but larges amount of equipment still needs to move around the battlefield.

     Oshkosh Defense LLC has developed large tactical vehicles with increased armor and threat detection capability commonly called MRAPs, which stand for mine resistant ambush protected vehicles. These have become commonplace in US war zones, but they do not always provide protection from traumatic brain injury during large explosions. The fact that Soldiers are still dying and getting severely injured is a key reason we need to find a better solution to intra theatre transportation in war.  

     The unmanning of these vehicles could provide safety and reliability to the Soldiers as well as increase efficiency. Oshkosh has been modifying their MRAP trucks with a suite of sensors and computer hardware in order to allow for not only unmanned driving, but also fully autonomous driving. The TerraMax unmanned ground vehicle is the product of years of development in both the truck platform and the sensor and computing package. The TerraMax is able to not only follow roads or preprogrammed routes, but it is able to scan the environment around it and select the best route based on many smaller factors.

     The benefit to this autonomous route selection system is that it required very little user interaction, which also means less operator training. Oshkosh has developed a 3-day training program for rapid deployment implementation. Additional, the autonomous route selection capability can allow the TerraMax to take lead instead of just following a manned vehicle. The ability to operate in a convoy is also an extremely important aspect to military transportation. The TerraMax can be programmed to follow a specified distance from the vehicle in front of it. Not only can the TerraMax maintain a specified following distance, but due to the fact that the sensors don’t rely on maintaining visual contact with the vehicle in from of it, it can follow a vehicle that is beyond its line of sight, which could be essential in high threat environments in order to protect from improvised explosive device (IED) attacks.   

     The TerraMax uses a system called trinocular vision to enable the autonomous route selection. The system consists of 3 cameras that are able to develop a three-dimensional view of the environment around the vehicle. This system also utilizes a stereovision system that is used for close range sensing. The TerraMax has one stereo pair of cameras in the front and one stereo pair in the rear. Both sets of stereo pairs are augmented with a laser range finder, which help obstacle avoidance as well as allow it to operate in normal road traffic conditions. The system also has side-facing cameras to provide the system with lane detection, as well as important information on spacing when pulling into an intersection with other cars driving in the area.

     The TerraMax’s range of sensors and capabilities provide the warfighter an extremely versatile tool in the fight again IEDs and other asymmetrical warfare techniques. The ability to autonomously transit through cities and open desert keep Soldier safe and equipment moving. By networking multiple TerraMax systems, an entire convoy could safely navigate long distances. One of the best parts of the system is that it safely integrates with manned trucks. This is essential because it can help with the integration of the system. Unlike Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), which don’t allow a pilot to jump inside and fly it, the TerraMax can be incrementally manned or unmanned.  As the military decision makers  trust increases in the system, a multi level approach to automation could be accomplish without much change to the system itself. This means that early field-testing could easily and quickly progress into a fully fielded project.

     As a Soldier, I look forward to seeing this technology sweep the battlefield and save lives. Unfortunately, the enemy can still destroy these trucks and disrupt supply chains, but human life would not need to accompany the loss of equipment and trucks. Always keep in mind that human capital and experience is the hardest thing to lose and replace on the battlefield.    

References:

Oshkosh Defence LLC. (2015, February 19). OSHKOSH DEFENSE SHOWCASES UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AT IDEX 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://oshkoshdefense.com/news/oshkosh-defense-showcases-unmanned-ground-vehicle-technology-idex-2015/    

Carroll, J. (2014, July 7). Unmanned ground vehicles display autonomous route clearing capabilities. Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/2014/07/unmanned-ground-vehicles-display-autonomous-route-clearing-capabilities.html