Robust and Opportunistic Autonomous Science for a Potential Titan Aerobot

Abstract —We are developing onboard planning and executiontechnologies to provide robust and opportunistic mis-sion operations for a potential Titan aerobot. Aerobothave the potential for collecting a vast amount ofhigh priority science data. However, to be effective,an aerobot must address several challenges includingcommunication constraints, extended periods withoutcontact with Earth, uncertain and changing environ-mental conditions, maneuvarability constraints andpotentially short-lived science opportunities. We aredeveloping the AerOASIS system to develop and testtechnology to support autonomous science operationsfor a potential Titan Aerobot. The planning andexecution component of AerOASIS is able to generatemission operations plans that achieve science andengineering objectives while respecting mission andresource constraints as well as adapting the planto respond to new science opportunities. Our tech-nology leverages prior work on the OASIS systemfor autonomous rover exploration. In this paper wedescribe how the OASIS planning component wasadapted to address the unique challenges of a TitanAerobot and we describe a field demonstration of thesystem with the JPL prototype aerobot.