Pascal Lee
Encyclopedia
Pascal Lee is co-founder and chairman of the Mars Institute
, a planetary scientist at the SETI Institute
, and the Principal Investigator of the Haughton-Mars Project
(HMP) at NASA Ames Research Center
in Mountain View, California. He holds an ME in geology and geophysics from the University of Paris
, and a PhD in astronomy and space sciences from Cornell University
.
Lee's research focuses on Mars
, asteroids, and impact craters, in particular in connection with the history of water on planets and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. He is known internationally for his work on Moon
and Mars
analogs
in the Arctic
, Antarctica, and other extreme environments on Earth. He is the author and co-author of over 100 scientific publications, and first proposed the "Mars Always Cold, Sometimes Wet" model of Mars evolution based on field studies of the geology of Earth's polar regions.
In 1988, Lee wintered over for 402 days at Dumont d'Urville station, Adelie Land
, Antarctica, where he served as the station's chief geophysicist. He also participated in five summer campaigns in Antarctica as a geologist and planetary scientist, in particular as a member of the US Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET
) program.
In 1997, Lee initiated the Haughton-Mars Project
(HMP), an international multidisciplinary field research project centered on science and exploration studies at the Haughton impact crater and surrounding terrain on Devon Island
, Arctic
Canada
, viewed as an analog site for the Moon
and Mars
. Lee has led over 18 HMP field expeditions to date, including the "Northwest Passage
Drive Expedition" in April 2009 and May 2010, and continues to serve as the HMP's Director in support of research for NASA
and the Canadian Space Agency.
Pascal Lee is widely recognized for his efforts to advance the human exploration of Mars
, in particular via its asteroid-like moons Phobos
and Deimos
.
Lee is a recipient of the United States Antarctic Service Medal and the Space Frontier Foundation
's Vision to Reality Award.
Lee is an FAA-certified helicopter
flight instructor
and lives in Santa Clara, California
.
) and attended St. Joseph's Primary School in Wan Chai
. At age 8, he went to boarding school in France where he first attended Le Petit College de la Tournelle in Septeuil, Yvelines, then the Ecole Saint Martin de France in Pontoise
, near Paris
.
After graduating with a B.S. in physics from the University of Paris, Lee went on to earn an M.E. in geology and geophysics from the University of Paris's Institute of Science and Technology (IST). He began Mars research as a student intern under Audouin Dollfus
at the Paris Observatory
and Philippe Masson at the University of Paris-Sud.
While in college in Paris, Pascal Lee was an active member of the Cosmos Club de France, a space exploration society founded by space scientist and author Albert Ducrocq. In 1982, Lee was elected the Cosmos Club de France's General Secretary and served in that position until 1987.
From November 1987 to February 1989, Lee spent over a year in Antarctica on national service duty. Upon his return, he moved to the United States to begin graduate studies in astronomy at Cornell University
in Ithaca
, New York
.
. Pascal Lee's PhD thesis dissertation was titled: "Physical properties and processing of asteroid regoliths and interiors".
As a graduate student, Lee participated in several NASA planetary spacecraft missions, including Voyager 2
's flyby of Neptune
and its large moon Triton
, Galileo's flyby of asteroid
s 951 Gaspra
and 243 Ida
, and Mars Observer
.
In 1993, Pascal Lee was awarded the Cornell University Department of Astronomy Eleanor Norton York Award.
In 2004, Lee returned to Cornell to teach for a semester as Visiting Assistant Professor of astronomy.
Mars Polar Lander
mission.
In 2001, Lee was Principal Investigator of the "H2O Mars Exploration Rover" or HOMER
mission concept proposed jointly by the SETI Institute
and the Boeing
Company to NASA
's Mars Scout program. HOMER was the first mission to Mars proposed by the Boeing
Company.
In 2006, Lee was Principal Investigator of the "Phobos Reconnaissance and International Mars Exploration" or PRIME
Mars mission concept study proposed jointly by the Mars Institute
, Optech Inc., and MDA
to the Canadian Space Agency.
Lee is currently Principal Investigator of the NASA "Hall" mission concept study, a New Frontiers-class Phobos and Deimos sample return mission concept study.
, an international non-profit public benefit research organization dedicated to advancing the scientific study, exploration, and public understanding of Mars.
Mars Institute-USA is based at the NASA Ames Research Park
at Moffett Field, California. Mars Institute-Canada is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.
is an international multidisciplinary field research project centered on science and exploration studies at the Haughton impact crater and surrounding terrain on Devon Island
, Arctic
Canada
, viewed as an analog site for the Moon
and Mars
.
The Haughton-Mars Project
Research Station or HMPRS, at 75o26'N, 89o52'W, is the world's largest privately operated polar research station. In 2005, the HMPRS was selected to become a node of the Canadian Space Agency's newly formed Canadian Analogue Research Network or CARN program. The HMP RS is managed and operated by the Mars Institute
in collaboration with the SETI Institute
, and currently supports research from both NASA
and the Canadian Space Agency.
Pascal Lee's principal collaborators on the HMP at NASA Ames Research Center are Christopher McKay
(HMP Technical Monitor), Terry Fong (Director, Intelligent Robotics Group), and Brian Glass (Director, Autonomous Technologies Group). Lee's key collaborators on the HMP at the Mars Institute include Stephen Braham (HMP Deputy Lead and Chief Field Engineer), John Schutt
(HMP Base Manager and Chief Field Guide), and Kira Lorber (HMP Logistics Manager).
's Mars-1 Humvee Rover from Resolute Bay
on Cornwallis Island
, to Cape McBain on Devon Island
across the Wellington Channel's 40 km of sea-ice. The Mars-1, bright red in color, is a modified M997 military ambulance Humvee manufactured by AM General
of Mishawaka, IN. Accompanying Lee were American explorer John Schutt
and Canadian Inuit field guides Paul Amagoalik and Joe Amarualik of Resolute Bay. The crossing was a success and the Mars-1 has since been serving on the Haughton-Mars Project
as a mobile field lab and concept vehicle for future pressurized rovers to be used on the Moon or Mars. NASA's first simulated pressurized rover field traverse was conducted at the Haughton-Mars Project
in July 2008 using the Mars-1. Lee commanded the mission while Andrew Abercromby
of the NASA Johnson Space Center served as field lead of the rover traverse investigation.
In April 2009, Lee led the Northwest Passage Drive Expedition to ferry a second Humvee, the bright yellow Moon-1 Humvee Rover, from Kugluktuk, Nunavut
, to Devon Island
, on sea-ice. Accompanying Lee were veterans John Schutt
and Joe Amarualik, expedition technician Jesse Weaver, and cameraman Mark Carroll of Jules Verne Adventures. The team succeeded in driving 494 km in 8 days from Kugluktuk to Cambridge Bay, along the fabled Northwest Passage
, establishing a record for the longest distance driven on sea-ice in a road vehicle. Plans to drive on from Cambridge Bay to Resolute Bay were abandoned due to extremely rough sea-ice conditions. At one point along the drive from Kugluktuk to Cambridge Bay, the Moon-1 partially fell through a lead (crack in the sea-ice), but was ultimately rescued by the expedition team. The Moon-1 was eventually flown from Cambridge Bay to Resolute Bay
where it waited a year before completing its journey to Devon Island
.
In May 2010, Lee led the second and final phase of the Northwest Passage Drive Expedition by driving the Moon-1 Humvee Rover from Resolute Bay
, Cornwallis Island
, to Domville Point, Devon Island
. Accompanying Lee were veterans John Schutt
, Joe Amarualik, Jesse Weaver, and Mark Carroll, and documentary director Jean-Christophe Jeauffre of Jules Verne Adventures. The 150 km journey, of which 60 km were on sea-ice, took 12 days. The Moon-1's arrival on Devon Island
was hailed as in important success for the Haughton-Mars Project
, as it opened the way for dual pressurized rover simulations using the two Humvee rovers working in tandem.
Lee also participated in field tests of NASA's Surface Exploration Vehicle (SEV), formerly known as the Lunar Exploration Rover (LER) or Small Pressurized Rover (SPR). In August 2008, Lee was pilot scientist of the first field test of the SEV, which was conducted under the auspices of the NASA Desert RATS project at the Black Point Lava Flow site in Northern Arizona. NASA Astronaut Rex Walheim was pilot commander of the 1-day mission. The SEV was developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center principally under the leadership of astronaut Michael Gernhardt and robotics engineer Robert Ambrose.
to support field studies of requirements for future human Mars exploration. After co-founding the Mars Society, Lee led the development, establishment, and early operation of the "Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station" or FMARS, the world's first simulated Mars habitat. The FMARS was conceived by Lee to serve as a new research element of the Haughton-Mars Project
. The Mars Society collaborated on the HMP through the 2001 field season, but since 2002, the society is no longer a partner of the HMP.
Mars Institute
The Mars Institute is an international non-governmental organization created with the goals of advancing the scientific study and exploration of Mars, conducting high-quality, peer-reviewed research, and educating the public on the progress toward and benefits of Mars exploration. It was...
, a planetary scientist at the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”. SETI stands for the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence". One program is the use of both radio and optical telescopes to search...
, and the Principal Investigator of the Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
(HMP) at NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Ames Research Center
The Ames Research Center , is one of the United States of America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration 10 major field centers.The centre is located in Moffett Field in California's Silicon Valley, near the high-tech companies, entrepreneurial ventures, universities, and other...
in Mountain View, California. He holds an ME in geology and geophysics from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, and a PhD in astronomy and space sciences from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
Lee's research focuses on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, asteroids, and impact craters, in particular in connection with the history of water on planets and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. He is known internationally for his work on Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
analogs
Analogy
Analogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject to another particular subject , and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process...
in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
, Antarctica, and other extreme environments on Earth. He is the author and co-author of over 100 scientific publications, and first proposed the "Mars Always Cold, Sometimes Wet" model of Mars evolution based on field studies of the geology of Earth's polar regions.
In 1988, Lee wintered over for 402 days at Dumont d'Urville station, Adelie Land
Adélie Land
Adélie Land is the portion of the Antarctic coast between 136° E and 142° E , with a shore length of 350 km and with its hinterland extending as a sector about 2,600 km toward the South Pole. It is claimed by France as one of five districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, although not...
, Antarctica, where he served as the station's chief geophysicist. He also participated in five summer campaigns in Antarctica as a geologist and planetary scientist, in particular as a member of the US Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET
ANSMET
ANSMET is a program funded by the Office of Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation that looks for meteorites in the Transantarctic Mountains. This geographical area serves as a collection point for meteorites that have originally fallen on the extensive high-altitude ice fields...
) program.
In 1997, Lee initiated the Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
(HMP), an international multidisciplinary field research project centered on science and exploration studies at the Haughton impact crater and surrounding terrain on Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
, Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, viewed as an analog site for the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. Lee has led over 18 HMP field expeditions to date, including the "Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
Drive Expedition" in April 2009 and May 2010, and continues to serve as the HMP's Director in support of research for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and the Canadian Space Agency.
Pascal Lee is widely recognized for his efforts to advance the human exploration of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, in particular via its asteroid-like moons Phobos
Phobos (moon)
Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Both moons were discovered in 1877. With a mean radius of , Phobos is 7.24 times as massive as Deimos...
and Deimos
Deimos (moon)
Deimos is the smaller and outer of Mars's two moons . It is named after Deimos, a figure representing dread in Greek Mythology. Its systematic designation is '.-Discovery:Deimos was discovered by Asaph Hall, Sr...
.
Lee is a recipient of the United States Antarctic Service Medal and the Space Frontier Foundation
Space Frontier Foundation
The Space Frontier Foundation is a space advocacy nonprofit corporation organized to promote the interests of increased involvement of the private sector, in collaboration with government, in the exploration and development of space...
's Vision to Reality Award.
Lee is an FAA-certified helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
and lives in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
.
Early years
Pascal Lee was born in 1964 (Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
) and attended St. Joseph's Primary School in Wan Chai
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
. At age 8, he went to boarding school in France where he first attended Le Petit College de la Tournelle in Septeuil, Yvelines, then the Ecole Saint Martin de France in Pontoise
Pontoise
Pontoise is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the "new town" of Cergy-Pontoise.-Administration:...
, near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
After graduating with a B.S. in physics from the University of Paris, Lee went on to earn an M.E. in geology and geophysics from the University of Paris's Institute of Science and Technology (IST). He began Mars research as a student intern under Audouin Dollfus
Audouin Dollfus
Audouin Charles Dollfus was a French astronomer and aeronaut, specialist in studies of the solar system and discoverer of Janus, a moon of Saturn.-Astronomical Career and Research:...
at the Paris Observatory
Paris Observatory
The Paris Observatory is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, and one of the largest astronomical centres in the world...
and Philippe Masson at the University of Paris-Sud.
While in college in Paris, Pascal Lee was an active member of the Cosmos Club de France, a space exploration society founded by space scientist and author Albert Ducrocq. In 1982, Lee was elected the Cosmos Club de France's General Secretary and served in that position until 1987.
From November 1987 to February 1989, Lee spent over a year in Antarctica on national service duty. Upon his return, he moved to the United States to begin graduate studies in astronomy at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Cornell Years
Pascal Lee studied astronomy and space sciences at Cornell, and worked as a research and teaching assistant for his thesis adviser Joseph Veverka, and the late Carl SaganCarl Sagan
Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
. Pascal Lee's PhD thesis dissertation was titled: "Physical properties and processing of asteroid regoliths and interiors".
As a graduate student, Lee participated in several NASA planetary spacecraft missions, including Voyager 2
Voyager 2
The Voyager 2 spacecraft is a 722-kilogram space probe launched by NASA on August 20, 1977 to study the outer Solar System and eventually interstellar space...
's flyby of Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
and its large moon Triton
Triton (moon)
Triton is the largest moon of the planet Neptune, discovered on October 10, 1846, by English astronomer William Lassell. It is the only large moon in the Solar System with a retrograde orbit, which is an orbit in the opposite direction to its planet's rotation. At 2,700 km in diameter, it is...
, Galileo's flyby of asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s 951 Gaspra
951 Gaspra
951 Gaspra is an S-type asteroid that orbits very close to the inner edge of the asteroid belt. Gaspra was the first asteroid ever to be closely approached when it was visited by the Galileo spacecraft, which flew by on its way to Jupiter on 29 October 1991.-Characteristics:Apart from a multitude...
and 243 Ida
243 Ida
243 Ida is an asteroid in the Koronis family of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 29 September 1884 by Johann Palisa and named after a nymph from Greek mythology. Later telescopic observations categorized Ida as an S-type asteroid, the most numerous type in the inner asteroid belt. On 28...
, and Mars Observer
Mars Observer
The Mars Observer spacecraft, also known as the Mars Geoscience/Climatology Orbiter, was a 1,018-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on September 25, 1992 to study the Martian surface, atmosphere, climate and magnetic field...
.
In 1993, Pascal Lee was awarded the Cornell University Department of Astronomy Eleanor Norton York Award.
In 2004, Lee returned to Cornell to teach for a semester as Visiting Assistant Professor of astronomy.
Mars Missions
In 1999, Pascal Lee collaborated as a Participating Scientist on the NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Mars Polar Lander
Mars Polar Lander
The Mars Polar Lander, also referred to as the Mars Surveyor '98 Lander, was a 290-kilogram robotic spacecraft lander, launched by NASA on January 3, 1999, to study the soil and climate of Planum Australe, a region near the south pole on Mars, as part of the Mars Surveyor '98 mission...
mission.
In 2001, Lee was Principal Investigator of the "H2O Mars Exploration Rover" or HOMER
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
mission concept proposed jointly by the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”. SETI stands for the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence". One program is the use of both radio and optical telescopes to search...
and the Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
Company to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Mars Scout program. HOMER was the first mission to Mars proposed by the Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
Company.
In 2006, Lee was Principal Investigator of the "Phobos Reconnaissance and International Mars Exploration" or PRIME
Prime
A prime is a natural number that has exactly two distinct natural number divisors: 1 and itself.Prime or PRIME may also refer to:In mathematics:*Prime , the ′ mark, typically used as a suffix...
Mars mission concept study proposed jointly by the Mars Institute
Mars Institute
The Mars Institute is an international non-governmental organization created with the goals of advancing the scientific study and exploration of Mars, conducting high-quality, peer-reviewed research, and educating the public on the progress toward and benefits of Mars exploration. It was...
, Optech Inc., and MDA
MDA
-Companies, organizations and government bodies:* Maritime Domain Awareness, part of a U.S. Government interagency and international maritime security effort* MDA , formerly the Museum Documentation Association...
to the Canadian Space Agency.
Lee is currently Principal Investigator of the NASA "Hall" mission concept study, a New Frontiers-class Phobos and Deimos sample return mission concept study.
Mars Institute
In 2002, Pascal Lee and space entrepreneur Marc Boucher co-founded the Mars InstituteMars Institute
The Mars Institute is an international non-governmental organization created with the goals of advancing the scientific study and exploration of Mars, conducting high-quality, peer-reviewed research, and educating the public on the progress toward and benefits of Mars exploration. It was...
, an international non-profit public benefit research organization dedicated to advancing the scientific study, exploration, and public understanding of Mars.
Mars Institute-USA is based at the NASA Ames Research Park
NASA Research Park
NASA Research Park is a research park run by NASA which aims to develop a world-class, shared-use research and development campus in association with government entities, academia, industry and non-profit organisations. It is situated in near San Jose, California. It began in 1939 as Ames Research...
at Moffett Field, California. Mars Institute-Canada is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton-Mars ProjectHaughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
is an international multidisciplinary field research project centered on science and exploration studies at the Haughton impact crater and surrounding terrain on Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
, Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, viewed as an analog site for the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
.
The Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
Research Station or HMPRS, at 75o26'N, 89o52'W, is the world's largest privately operated polar research station. In 2005, the HMPRS was selected to become a node of the Canadian Space Agency's newly formed Canadian Analogue Research Network or CARN program. The HMP RS is managed and operated by the Mars Institute
Mars Institute
The Mars Institute is an international non-governmental organization created with the goals of advancing the scientific study and exploration of Mars, conducting high-quality, peer-reviewed research, and educating the public on the progress toward and benefits of Mars exploration. It was...
in collaboration with the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”. SETI stands for the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence". One program is the use of both radio and optical telescopes to search...
, and currently supports research from both NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and the Canadian Space Agency.
Pascal Lee's principal collaborators on the HMP at NASA Ames Research Center are Christopher McKay
Christopher McKay
Christopher P. McKay is a planetary scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, studying planetary atmospheres, astrobiology, and terraforming. McKay received his PhD in astrogeophysics from the University of Colorado in 1982 and his bachelor's degree from Florida Atlantic University.-Overview:McKay...
(HMP Technical Monitor), Terry Fong (Director, Intelligent Robotics Group), and Brian Glass (Director, Autonomous Technologies Group). Lee's key collaborators on the HMP at the Mars Institute include Stephen Braham (HMP Deputy Lead and Chief Field Engineer), John Schutt
John Schutt
John Schutt is an American mountaineer and a member of the yearly Antarctic search for meteorites program. John has probably recovered more meteorites than any single person in history and has personally recovered more samples of Mars...
(HMP Base Manager and Chief Field Guide), and Kira Lorber (HMP Logistics Manager).
Pressurized Rovers
In May 2003, Lee led an Arctic winter expedition to drive the Mars InstituteMars Institute
The Mars Institute is an international non-governmental organization created with the goals of advancing the scientific study and exploration of Mars, conducting high-quality, peer-reviewed research, and educating the public on the progress toward and benefits of Mars exploration. It was...
's Mars-1 Humvee Rover from Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Parry Channel on the southern side of Cornwallis Island. The hamlet of Resolute is located on the northern shore of the bay and Resolute Bay Airport to the northwest...
on Cornwallis Island
Cornwallis Island
Cornwallis Island may refer to:* Cornwallis Island , Canada* Cornwallis Island , Australia* Cornwallis Island , South Shetland Islands...
, to Cape McBain on Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
across the Wellington Channel's 40 km of sea-ice. The Mars-1, bright red in color, is a modified M997 military ambulance Humvee manufactured by AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
of Mishawaka, IN. Accompanying Lee were American explorer John Schutt
John Schutt
John Schutt is an American mountaineer and a member of the yearly Antarctic search for meteorites program. John has probably recovered more meteorites than any single person in history and has personally recovered more samples of Mars...
and Canadian Inuit field guides Paul Amagoalik and Joe Amarualik of Resolute Bay. The crossing was a success and the Mars-1 has since been serving on the Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
as a mobile field lab and concept vehicle for future pressurized rovers to be used on the Moon or Mars. NASA's first simulated pressurized rover field traverse was conducted at the Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
in July 2008 using the Mars-1. Lee commanded the mission while Andrew Abercromby
Andrew Abercromby
Andrew F. J. Abercromby is a biomedical engineer working on the design and testing of spacesuit systems and rovers for future exploration of the solar system. He works for Wyle Integrated Science & Engineering at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas...
of the NASA Johnson Space Center served as field lead of the rover traverse investigation.
In April 2009, Lee led the Northwest Passage Drive Expedition to ferry a second Humvee, the bright yellow Moon-1 Humvee Rover, from Kugluktuk, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, to Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
, on sea-ice. Accompanying Lee were veterans John Schutt
John Schutt
John Schutt is an American mountaineer and a member of the yearly Antarctic search for meteorites program. John has probably recovered more meteorites than any single person in history and has personally recovered more samples of Mars...
and Joe Amarualik, expedition technician Jesse Weaver, and cameraman Mark Carroll of Jules Verne Adventures. The team succeeded in driving 494 km in 8 days from Kugluktuk to Cambridge Bay, along the fabled Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
, establishing a record for the longest distance driven on sea-ice in a road vehicle. Plans to drive on from Cambridge Bay to Resolute Bay were abandoned due to extremely rough sea-ice conditions. At one point along the drive from Kugluktuk to Cambridge Bay, the Moon-1 partially fell through a lead (crack in the sea-ice), but was ultimately rescued by the expedition team. The Moon-1 was eventually flown from Cambridge Bay to Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Parry Channel on the southern side of Cornwallis Island. The hamlet of Resolute is located on the northern shore of the bay and Resolute Bay Airport to the northwest...
where it waited a year before completing its journey to Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
.
In May 2010, Lee led the second and final phase of the Northwest Passage Drive Expedition by driving the Moon-1 Humvee Rover from Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Parry Channel on the southern side of Cornwallis Island. The hamlet of Resolute is located on the northern shore of the bay and Resolute Bay Airport to the northwest...
, Cornwallis Island
Cornwallis Island
Cornwallis Island may refer to:* Cornwallis Island , Canada* Cornwallis Island , Australia* Cornwallis Island , South Shetland Islands...
, to Domville Point, Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
. Accompanying Lee were veterans John Schutt
John Schutt
John Schutt is an American mountaineer and a member of the yearly Antarctic search for meteorites program. John has probably recovered more meteorites than any single person in history and has personally recovered more samples of Mars...
, Joe Amarualik, Jesse Weaver, and Mark Carroll, and documentary director Jean-Christophe Jeauffre of Jules Verne Adventures. The 150 km journey, of which 60 km were on sea-ice, took 12 days. The Moon-1's arrival on Devon Island
Devon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
was hailed as in important success for the Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
, as it opened the way for dual pressurized rover simulations using the two Humvee rovers working in tandem.
Lee also participated in field tests of NASA's Surface Exploration Vehicle (SEV), formerly known as the Lunar Exploration Rover (LER) or Small Pressurized Rover (SPR). In August 2008, Lee was pilot scientist of the first field test of the SEV, which was conducted under the auspices of the NASA Desert RATS project at the Black Point Lava Flow site in Northern Arizona. NASA Astronaut Rex Walheim was pilot commander of the 1-day mission. The SEV was developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center principally under the leadership of astronaut Michael Gernhardt and robotics engineer Robert Ambrose.
Mars Habitats
In 1998, Pascal Lee proposed the creation of a Mars Lander-like habitat at Haughton Crater on Devon IslandDevon Island
Devon Island , claimed to be the largest uninhabited island on Earth, is located in Baffin Bay, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Canada's sixth largest island, and the 27th...
to support field studies of requirements for future human Mars exploration. After co-founding the Mars Society, Lee led the development, establishment, and early operation of the "Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station" or FMARS, the world's first simulated Mars habitat. The FMARS was conceived by Lee to serve as a new research element of the Haughton-Mars Project
Haughton-Mars Project
The Haughton–Mars Project is an international interdisciplinary field research project being carried out near the Haughton impact crater on Canada's northern Devon Island. human-centered computing studies are aimed at determining how human explorers might live and work on other planetary...
. The Mars Society collaborated on the HMP through the 2001 field season, but since 2002, the society is no longer a partner of the HMP.
Additional Resources
- Human-Centered Computing Studies on the NASA Haughton-Mars Project
- Robotic Follow-Up for Human Exploration
- Preliminary Testing of a Pressurized Space Suit and Candidate Fabrics Under Simulated Mars Dust Storm and Dust Devil Conditions
- Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
- Mars Rotorcraft: Possibilities, Limitations, and Implications For Human/Robotic Exploration
- To the North Coast of Devon: Collaborative Navigation While Exploring Unfamiliar Terrain
- Integrated Software Systems for Crew Management During Extravehicular Activity in Planetary Terrain Exploration
- Mars, Always Cold, Sometimes Wet: New Constraints on Mars Denudation Rates and Climate Evolution from Analog Studies at Haughton Crater, Devon Island, High Arctic
- Applying Multiagent Simulation to Planetary Surface Operations
- Search for a meteoritic component at the Beaverhead impact structure, Montana
- Initial Efforts toward Mission-Representative Imaging Surveys from Aerial Explorers
- Anomalous scattering of light on Triton
- Empirical Requirements Analysis for Mars Surface Operations Using the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station