The lower slopes of Hawaii’s Mauna Kea with its volcanic soil and which resembles the surfaces of the moon and Mars will be the location for upcoming field tests of a variety of technology with representation from NASA, the German and Canadian Space Agency and Canadian organizations.
PISCES, the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems, headquartered at the University of Hawaii, Hilo is the host of the event which takes place between January 22 to February 11.
Canadian organizations participating in the event include the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology, Inc. (NORCAT), Virgin Technologies Inc., Xiphos Technologies, Inc., Electric Vehicle Controllers Ltd. (EVC), Neptec Design Group, Ontario Drive and Gear Ltd. (ODG) and the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS).
The field tests will include training exercises in space medicine, testing of drills and mechanical moles, a specialized rover with wheels that allow the rover to move sideways on rocky terrain. College students from the U.S. and Canada will support many of the field tests.
These field test show the ongoing international collaboration that is likely to happen to countries pool their resources and expertise for future exploration of the moon, Mars and its moons and asteroids.
More information: Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems