Reconstruction of 3D scenes from 2D images is a technical challenge that impacts domains from Earth and planetary sciences and space exploration to augmented and virtual reality. Typically, reconstruction algorithms first identify common features across images and then minimize reconstruction errors after estimating the shape of the terrain. This bundle adjustment (BA) step optimizes around a single, simplifying scalar value that obfuscates many possible causes of reconstruction errors (e.g., initial estimate of the position and orientation of the camera, lighting conditions, ease of feature detection in the terrain). Reconstruction errors can lead to inaccurate scientific inferences or endanger a spacecraft exploring a remote environment. To address this challenge, we present VECTOR, a visual analysis tool that improves error inspection for stereo reconstruction BA. VECTOR provides analysts with previously unavailable visibility into feature locations, camera pose, and computed 3D points. VECTOR was developed in partnership with the Perseverance Mars Rover and Ingenuity Mars Helicopter terrain reconstruction team at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We report on how this tool was used to debug and improve terrain reconstruction for the Mars 2020 mission.

The intent of Datacasting is to empower consumers of Earth science data with the ability to extract from a stream of data granules (or files) precisely those granules that are required to meet a predefined need, for example, ldquoAcquire from a MODIS L2 data stream only the granules that contain information about a wild fire in Southern California.rdquo Our approach to solving this problem has been to take the concept of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, for delivering regularly changing web content, and extend this to represent a stream of data granules and deliver regularly changing Earth science data content. In essence, this project is doing for Earth science what Podcasting has done for audio and video. Where Podcasting extended RSS to revolutionize how users access audio and video content provided by various media outlets, so Datacasting extends RSS to provide users with the ability to download data granules provided by Earth science data providers as the data are made available. Moreover, we have taken the concept one step further by creating a solution for filtering on the metadata of a feed in order to identify granules of interest based on user-defined criteria. In this paper, we also show how Datacasting feeds can be combined with other RSS-based feeds to identify relationships between information sources and extract new knowledge, as well as aid the development of new geo-based web services not currently envisaged.

The Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) uses a man-in-the-loop system for control in most cases. While capable of some autonomous driving, all arm operations and most drives are planned on the ground. Planning these operations requires a precise knowledge of the terrain surrounding of the rover: where are the rocks, the sand, and the hazards. This terrain is derived from images taken by stereoscopic cameras. This paper describes in detail the middle parts of the ground-based terrain derivation process: correlation, which finds matching points in the stereo pair, and triangulation, which converts those points to XYZ coordinates. The algorithms and free parameters are described, followed by a discussion of the results obtained, the problems encountered, and possible avenues for future development.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers are two six-wheeled, 175-kg robotic vehicles which have operated on Mars for over a year as of March 2005. Each rover is controlled by a team who must understand the rover's surroundings and develop command sequences on a daily basis. The tight tactical planning timeline and ever-changing environment call for tools that allow quick assessment of potential manipulator targets and traverse goals, since command sequences must be developed in a matter of hours after receipt of new data from the rovers. Reachability maps give a visual indication of which targets are reachable by each rover's manipulator, while slope and solar energy maps show the rover operator which terrain areas are safe and unsafe from different standpoints.