1
00:00:56,830 --> 00:00:42,040
[Music]

2
00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:03,320
so

3
00:01:03,330 --> 00:03:02,830
[Music]

4
00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:08,300
so

5
00:03:08,310 --> 00:03:44,830
[Music]

6
00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:47,290
so

7
00:04:12,869 --> 00:04:06,960
[Music]

8
00:05:22,070 --> 00:04:28,290
this do

9
00:05:26,150 --> 00:05:24,310
often you get to say you work next to a

10
00:05:26,629 --> 00:05:26,160
robotic system that's going to mars

11
00:05:27,990 --> 00:05:26,639
right

12
00:05:29,430 --> 00:05:28,000
there's not many places in the world

13
00:05:31,270 --> 00:05:29,440
that you can do this my name is eric

14
00:05:32,710 --> 00:05:31,280
aguilar and i'm working on a robotic

15
00:05:34,390 --> 00:05:32,720
system that will be collecting martian

16
00:05:36,230 --> 00:05:34,400
rock samples so it can be studied on

17
00:05:38,629 --> 00:05:36,240
earth this is our hexapod testbed it's

18
00:05:40,469 --> 00:05:38,639
basically a rover body that allows us to

19
00:05:42,310 --> 00:05:40,479
attach you know the robotic arm the

20
00:05:42,790 --> 00:05:42,320
adaptive caching assembly the drill so

21
00:05:44,629 --> 00:05:42,800
that's why

22
00:05:46,550 --> 00:05:44,639
a lot of the testing happens uh behind

23
00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:46,560
me the sample caching system will

24
00:05:50,310 --> 00:05:48,880
use a robotic arm and drill to actually

25
00:05:52,390 --> 00:05:50,320
take samples out of the ground

26
00:05:54,150 --> 00:05:52,400
and we're looking for evidence of life

27
00:05:55,990 --> 00:05:54,160
that may have existed on mars on the

28
00:05:57,830 --> 00:05:56,000
smaller arm that lives inside the valley

29
00:05:59,830 --> 00:05:57,840
of the rover and is used to actually

30
00:06:01,189 --> 00:05:59,840
process the tubes as they come back with

31
00:06:03,270 --> 00:06:01,199
a sample inside we'll

32
00:06:05,189 --> 00:06:03,280
measure it take some pictures of it and

33
00:06:05,990 --> 00:06:05,199
get it sealed and stored for a future

34
00:06:07,749 --> 00:06:06,000
mission to pick

35
00:06:09,350 --> 00:06:07,759
them up you see the robotic arm

36
00:06:11,270 --> 00:06:09,360
stretched out and we have a bunch of

37
00:06:13,990 --> 00:06:11,280
engineers and technicians working on

38
00:06:15,909 --> 00:06:14,000
installing a model of our drill work in

39
00:06:16,309 --> 00:06:15,919
aerospace that was always a passion of

40
00:06:18,150 --> 00:06:16,319
mine

41
00:06:19,430 --> 00:06:18,160
what really draws me towards it is the

42
00:06:20,950 --> 00:06:19,440
engineering of it

43
00:06:22,710 --> 00:06:20,960
you know always working on something new

44
00:06:24,150 --> 00:06:22,720
and something's never been done before

45
00:06:26,230 --> 00:06:24,160
finding those problems getting them

46
00:06:28,150 --> 00:06:26,240
fixed is really something that i enjoy

47
00:06:29,670 --> 00:06:28,160
you know in 20 years children will be

48
00:06:35,909 --> 00:06:29,680
reading this in their science book and

49
00:06:40,469 --> 00:06:38,790
hi i'm required with nasa's jet

50
00:06:41,749 --> 00:06:40,479
propulsion laboratory in southern

51
00:06:44,629 --> 00:06:41,759
california

52
00:06:46,870 --> 00:06:44,639
jpl is where the mars 2020 mission and

53
00:06:49,029 --> 00:06:46,880
perseverance rover are managed

54
00:06:50,629 --> 00:06:49,039
now getting to mars is a test of

55
00:06:52,390 --> 00:06:50,639
perseverance in itself

56
00:06:55,110 --> 00:06:52,400
and we are joined today by one of the

57
00:06:57,990 --> 00:06:55,120
many faces behind the spacecraft

58
00:07:00,230 --> 00:06:58,000
eric aguilar is the mars 2020 assistant

59
00:07:00,950 --> 00:07:00,240
delivery manager for the sample caching

60
00:07:05,029 --> 00:07:00,960
system

61
00:07:06,870 --> 00:07:05,039
manager through extensive testing

62
00:07:09,830 --> 00:07:06,880
he's making sure perseverance will be

63
00:07:11,510 --> 00:07:09,840
able to fulfill its mission on mars

64
00:07:13,589 --> 00:07:11,520
he joins us live to answer some

65
00:07:14,870 --> 00:07:13,599
questions and if you have any questions

66
00:07:16,950 --> 00:07:14,880
you would like to ask

67
00:07:20,550 --> 00:07:16,960
you can leave them right here in the

68
00:07:23,510 --> 00:07:20,560
chat thanks for joining us today eric

69
00:07:24,629 --> 00:07:23,520
all right thank you raquel okay i want

70
00:07:26,550 --> 00:07:24,639
to get started with

71
00:07:28,070 --> 00:07:26,560
what we were talking about earlier how

72
00:07:31,270 --> 00:07:28,080
did your family

73
00:07:33,350 --> 00:07:31,280
influence your career path so

74
00:07:34,550 --> 00:07:33,360
my family was a huge influence on my

75
00:07:36,710 --> 00:07:34,560
career path uh

76
00:07:38,710 --> 00:07:36,720
you know my dad immigrated from costa

77
00:07:41,909 --> 00:07:38,720
rica to the united states

78
00:07:43,670 --> 00:07:41,919
um and my my mom's side my grandfather

79
00:07:45,110 --> 00:07:43,680
immigrated from mexico to the united

80
00:07:47,350 --> 00:07:45,120
states um

81
00:07:48,950 --> 00:07:47,360
you know eventually my parents met in

82
00:07:52,150 --> 00:07:48,960
the los angeles area and

83
00:07:52,629 --> 00:07:52,160
and you know i was born um but that sort

84
00:07:55,990 --> 00:07:52,639
of

85
00:07:57,909 --> 00:07:56,000
uh drive and and need to have uh

86
00:07:59,749 --> 00:07:57,919
you know provide for your family and and

87
00:08:00,869 --> 00:07:59,759
give them more opportunities and than

88
00:08:02,309 --> 00:08:00,879
you had

89
00:08:04,309 --> 00:08:02,319
um i think it's something that has

90
00:08:07,510 --> 00:08:04,319
always stuck with me and as

91
00:08:09,909 --> 00:08:07,520
has driven my help drive my career um

92
00:08:12,309 --> 00:08:09,919
you know my parents were very

93
00:08:14,469 --> 00:08:12,319
influential and making sure that i

94
00:08:15,830 --> 00:08:14,479
you know went to school to get all the

95
00:08:18,710 --> 00:08:15,840
opportunities i could get to

96
00:08:19,749 --> 00:08:18,720
right you know study hard you know get

97
00:08:22,390 --> 00:08:19,759
get to college

98
00:08:22,869 --> 00:08:22,400
um you know that they're you know being

99
00:08:25,830 --> 00:08:22,879
you know

100
00:08:26,869 --> 00:08:25,840
immigrants or from an immigrant family

101
00:08:29,589 --> 00:08:26,879
it's really been

102
00:08:30,710 --> 00:08:29,599
you know a testament and on how hard

103
00:08:33,829 --> 00:08:30,720
they work and to

104
00:08:37,430 --> 00:08:33,839
to provide for us right so um you know

105
00:08:40,310 --> 00:08:37,440
i take that i take all the all of that

106
00:08:41,589 --> 00:08:40,320
all of that work ethic that they've

107
00:08:43,670 --> 00:08:41,599
instilled in me

108
00:08:45,350 --> 00:08:43,680
and and use it every day for when we're

109
00:08:47,110 --> 00:08:45,360
working at jpl from

110
00:08:48,710 --> 00:08:47,120
you know making sure that you know when

111
00:08:51,430 --> 00:08:48,720
we have difficult

112
00:08:52,790 --> 00:08:51,440
uh parts of the of the of the mission

113
00:08:53,590 --> 00:08:52,800
that we're trying to design or work

114
00:08:55,590 --> 00:08:53,600
through that

115
00:08:58,150 --> 00:08:55,600
we can just push through and really get

116
00:09:00,230 --> 00:08:58,160
that get over the hump and really

117
00:09:01,910 --> 00:09:00,240
get get everybody motivated and going

118
00:09:05,190 --> 00:09:01,920
right and so

119
00:09:07,190 --> 00:09:05,200
they've been a huge a huge um

120
00:09:09,269 --> 00:09:07,200
influence on my life and getting to

121
00:09:10,710 --> 00:09:09,279
where i'm at today at jpl and i thank

122
00:09:13,750 --> 00:09:10,720
him for that

123
00:09:15,190 --> 00:09:13,760
yeah my father is from bolivia so

124
00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:15,200
i understand what you mean when you say

125
00:09:19,269 --> 00:09:17,760
that work ethic is so strong and i'm

126
00:09:19,829 --> 00:09:19,279
sure they're really proud of you right

127
00:09:21,590 --> 00:09:19,839
now

128
00:09:23,750 --> 00:09:21,600
and can we kind of get more into what

129
00:09:27,269 --> 00:09:23,760
you studied at school and your path

130
00:09:30,949 --> 00:09:27,279
to jpl yeah well so

131
00:09:33,269 --> 00:09:30,959
um you know i i went to arizona state

132
00:09:36,630 --> 00:09:33,279
university where i graduated with a

133
00:09:39,750 --> 00:09:36,640
bachelor's in in electrical engineering

134
00:09:43,030 --> 00:09:39,760
i eventually got a master's in in

135
00:09:45,190 --> 00:09:43,040
business from university of redlands but

136
00:09:46,230 --> 00:09:45,200
when i was in school at arizona state

137
00:09:48,870 --> 00:09:46,240
university

138
00:09:50,389 --> 00:09:48,880
i also started working part-time as an

139
00:09:51,509 --> 00:09:50,399
academic part-time for honeywell

140
00:09:54,550 --> 00:09:51,519
aerospace

141
00:09:55,670 --> 00:09:54,560
um there i was working you know uh you

142
00:09:58,470 --> 00:09:55,680
know

143
00:09:58,949 --> 00:09:58,480
near full-time about 30 hours a week uh

144
00:10:02,069 --> 00:09:58,959
plus

145
00:10:04,470 --> 00:10:02,079
uh taking a full load at asu

146
00:10:05,110 --> 00:10:04,480
and in doing so i was able to um you

147
00:10:07,350 --> 00:10:05,120
know help

148
00:10:08,230 --> 00:10:07,360
pay for my college and get through that

149
00:10:11,030 --> 00:10:08,240
but then i i

150
00:10:13,110 --> 00:10:11,040
eventually um you know started working

151
00:10:16,870 --> 00:10:13,120
for them after i graduated

152
00:10:18,710 --> 00:10:16,880
however i still really had you know my

153
00:10:20,630 --> 00:10:18,720
what do i want to do like i really want

154
00:10:20,870 --> 00:10:20,640
to be in aerospace i you know that's one

155
00:10:24,069 --> 00:10:20,880
of

156
00:10:25,990 --> 00:10:24,079
know growing up

157
00:10:28,230 --> 00:10:26,000
and so i started looking for for work

158
00:10:31,269 --> 00:10:28,240
outside of outside of honeywell and

159
00:10:33,750 --> 00:10:31,279
and in the aerospace area um

160
00:10:35,269 --> 00:10:33,760
and i i found the company in pasadena

161
00:10:38,069 --> 00:10:35,279
that turns out was uh

162
00:10:39,590 --> 00:10:38,079
a contractor to jpl and so i interviewed

163
00:10:41,269 --> 00:10:39,600
with this company and you know obviously

164
00:10:44,550 --> 00:10:41,279
got hired and then

165
00:10:48,870 --> 00:10:44,560
uh i came i moved to pasadena and was

166
00:10:49,509 --> 00:10:48,880
working for jpl as a as a contractor and

167
00:10:52,550 --> 00:10:49,519
my first

168
00:10:53,910 --> 00:10:52,560
job through this contracting company was

169
00:10:56,710 --> 00:10:53,920
working on the mars

170
00:10:57,430 --> 00:10:56,720
exploration rover spirited opportunity

171
00:11:00,870 --> 00:10:57,440
and

172
00:11:03,269 --> 00:11:00,880
captures for their uh

173
00:11:04,310 --> 00:11:03,279
for the rover electronics module that

174
00:11:07,670 --> 00:11:04,320
was something that

175
00:11:08,550 --> 00:11:07,680
um that started off my career ever since

176
00:11:11,910 --> 00:11:08,560
then i've

177
00:11:15,190 --> 00:11:11,920
i've been on mars science laboratory uh

178
00:11:15,910 --> 00:11:15,200
the dawn spacecraft uh now march 2020

179
00:11:17,350 --> 00:11:15,920
and

180
00:11:19,030 --> 00:11:17,360
you know i've been here over uh just

181
00:11:21,430 --> 00:11:19,040
about 20 years now um

182
00:11:22,790 --> 00:11:21,440
it's been uh it's been quite a ride and

183
00:11:26,310 --> 00:11:22,800
quite an enjoyable ride

184
00:11:27,990 --> 00:11:26,320
at that wow so

185
00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:28,000
is this your favorite mission so far

186
00:11:32,550 --> 00:11:30,000
you'd say

187
00:11:34,310 --> 00:11:32,560
uh yeah i think i think they're all uh

188
00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:34,320
they're all my favorite but yeah this

189
00:11:37,509 --> 00:11:35,839
one has been uh

190
00:11:39,509 --> 00:11:37,519
this one has been a challenge right from

191
00:11:42,310 --> 00:11:39,519
working on the sample caching system

192
00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:42,320
you know developing a robotic system you

193
00:11:46,150 --> 00:11:42,640
know

194
00:11:49,829 --> 00:11:46,160
has been

195
00:11:53,509 --> 00:11:49,839
been more

196
00:11:54,150 --> 00:11:53,519
um just the team uh the team environment

197
00:11:57,110 --> 00:11:54,160
that we've been

198
00:11:58,870 --> 00:11:57,120
able to build you know within both both

199
00:11:59,430 --> 00:11:58,880
both tasks both the sample caching and

200
00:12:04,470 --> 00:11:59,440
the

201
00:12:05,190 --> 00:12:04,480
get a chance to work with a lot of

202
00:12:08,470 --> 00:12:05,200
incredible

203
00:12:10,150 --> 00:12:08,480
uh talented engineers and and we're able

204
00:12:12,870 --> 00:12:10,160
to really come together and

205
00:12:14,230 --> 00:12:12,880
and get this thing going so i'm uh yes i

206
00:12:15,829 --> 00:12:14,240
think that's what

207
00:12:18,310 --> 00:12:15,839
makes this one of my favorite projects

208
00:12:20,550 --> 00:12:18,320
that i've been able to work on

209
00:12:21,430 --> 00:12:20,560
and you were kind of mentioning that

210
00:12:24,389 --> 00:12:21,440
troubleshooting

211
00:12:25,190 --> 00:12:24,399
is a big part of your job so what kind

212
00:12:26,629 --> 00:12:25,200
of hurdles

213
00:12:28,470 --> 00:12:26,639
have you had to overcome when you're

214
00:12:34,069 --> 00:12:28,480
testing

215
00:12:35,670 --> 00:12:34,079
finding problems that's exactly what i

216
00:12:36,870 --> 00:12:35,680
live for when i when i work on these

217
00:12:39,030 --> 00:12:36,880
missions um

218
00:12:41,030 --> 00:12:39,040
the the idea is that if we can flush it

219
00:12:41,509 --> 00:12:41,040
out here we can fix it we can mitigate

220
00:12:46,470 --> 00:12:41,519
it

221
00:12:48,310 --> 00:12:46,480
we get to mars or our final destination

222
00:12:49,910 --> 00:12:48,320
we would know you know we have

223
00:12:52,150 --> 00:12:49,920
confidence that this thing is that

224
00:12:54,150 --> 00:12:52,160
our spacecraft's not going to work and

225
00:12:55,750 --> 00:12:54,160
so one of the issues that that i'll

226
00:12:58,550 --> 00:12:55,760
bring up that we've had recently

227
00:13:00,389 --> 00:12:58,560
or over over the time with developing

228
00:13:03,430 --> 00:13:00,399
the sample caching system

229
00:13:06,790 --> 00:13:03,440
is within the robot is is in the um

230
00:13:08,870 --> 00:13:06,800
the drill on the drill um we have these

231
00:13:11,670 --> 00:13:08,880
uh ball lock mechanisms

232
00:13:12,150 --> 00:13:11,680
um that are uh used to hold the the

233
00:13:15,430 --> 00:13:12,160
drill

234
00:13:18,230 --> 00:13:15,440
know sort of as

235
00:13:19,190 --> 00:13:18,240
a gripping mechanism now when we're

236
00:13:21,509 --> 00:13:19,200
working with

237
00:13:23,350 --> 00:13:21,519
you know uh rocks you're gonna have fine

238
00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:23,360
powder and as you're as you're drilling

239
00:13:25,590 --> 00:13:24,480
into the rocks you're gonna have this

240
00:13:30,310 --> 00:13:25,600
fine powder

241
00:13:32,550 --> 00:13:30,320
and and and creep into crevices

242
00:13:33,509 --> 00:13:32,560
it's almost like uh you know when you go

243
00:13:35,110 --> 00:13:33,519
hiking

244
00:13:36,389 --> 00:13:35,120
and you start walking you start walking

245
00:13:37,750 --> 00:13:36,399
the trails and you start to kind of

246
00:13:40,790 --> 00:13:37,760
climb higher and higher into

247
00:13:42,470 --> 00:13:40,800
into your into your mountain trail um

248
00:13:44,069 --> 00:13:42,480
you're gonna you start to find out that

249
00:13:45,910 --> 00:13:44,079
you know your your hiking boots might

250
00:13:47,990 --> 00:13:45,920
actually get a little bit caked of

251
00:13:49,670 --> 00:13:48,000
of some of this finer dust as it as it

252
00:13:50,710 --> 00:13:49,680
kind of sits in there and gets in these

253
00:13:51,990 --> 00:13:50,720
crevices

254
00:13:55,189 --> 00:13:52,000
makes it for your shoes to be a little

255
00:13:57,509 --> 00:13:55,199
slippier uh uh slippery

256
00:13:59,030 --> 00:13:57,519
so what you do is you know is before you

257
00:14:01,590 --> 00:13:59,040
go on a narrow part of the

258
00:14:02,629 --> 00:14:01,600
of the uh hike or of the trail you're

259
00:14:04,550 --> 00:14:02,639
gonna tend to

260
00:14:05,750 --> 00:14:04,560
kind of kick your shoes a little bit and

261
00:14:07,829 --> 00:14:05,760
get that dust off and

262
00:14:09,670 --> 00:14:07,839
and that way it gives you a nice clean

263
00:14:11,509 --> 00:14:09,680
grip and you're back to where where you

264
00:14:13,430 --> 00:14:11,519
wanted it to be with your shoes

265
00:14:15,350 --> 00:14:13,440
so imagine the same thing where you have

266
00:14:17,430 --> 00:14:15,360
this powder that's flowing

267
00:14:19,509 --> 00:14:17,440
as we're interacting with rocks and and

268
00:14:22,790 --> 00:14:19,519
you've got a dusty and mars environment

269
00:14:23,590 --> 00:14:22,800
we have this really fine powder uh dirt

270
00:14:25,750 --> 00:14:23,600
that has been

271
00:14:27,430 --> 00:14:25,760
uh you know kind of being pushed around

272
00:14:28,949 --> 00:14:27,440
and circulating around the drill as

273
00:14:30,790 --> 00:14:28,959
we're operating it

274
00:14:32,389 --> 00:14:30,800
while this powder is getting into some

275
00:14:33,590 --> 00:14:32,399
of the crevices around the ball locks

276
00:14:36,790 --> 00:14:33,600
which is not letting them

277
00:14:38,790 --> 00:14:36,800
move as freely as as we like so

278
00:14:40,470 --> 00:14:38,800
when and during one of our tests we were

279
00:14:43,030 --> 00:14:40,480
trying to go and pick up a bit and we

280
00:14:45,189 --> 00:14:43,040
were unable to get past the ball locks

281
00:14:47,189 --> 00:14:45,199
we eventually can show that if we push

282
00:14:48,629 --> 00:14:47,199
on it hard enough it'll work but we want

283
00:14:50,710 --> 00:14:48,639
to understand

284
00:14:52,550 --> 00:14:50,720
why were the ball locks not free as we

285
00:14:55,110 --> 00:14:52,560
would have liked them to be so

286
00:14:55,910 --> 00:14:55,120
you know we're able to break our chamber

287
00:14:59,189 --> 00:14:55,920
and

288
00:15:00,870 --> 00:14:59,199
take a look inside

289
00:15:02,710 --> 00:15:00,880
and as we look inside we notice that

290
00:15:03,189 --> 00:15:02,720
there's this uh fine fine powder

291
00:15:05,990 --> 00:15:03,199
material

292
00:15:06,710 --> 00:15:06,000
around the ball locks and we we realized

293
00:15:10,470 --> 00:15:06,720
that well

294
00:15:13,509 --> 00:15:10,480
we we have a mitigation mitigation plan

295
00:15:15,990 --> 00:15:13,519
already that we can employ one of which

296
00:15:19,189 --> 00:15:16,000
is we call the percussive cleaning

297
00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:19,199
we bring when we get to mars one of the

298
00:15:22,470 --> 00:15:20,880
early things that we're going to do on

299
00:15:24,069 --> 00:15:22,480
the surface is to

300
00:15:25,509 --> 00:15:24,079
get the drill and do a percussive

301
00:15:27,350 --> 00:15:25,519
cleaning which is using the hammer

302
00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:27,360
that's built into the drill

303
00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:30,160
to sort of shake shake loose any any

304
00:15:32,629 --> 00:15:31,360
loose particulates

305
00:15:35,110 --> 00:15:32,639
that may have traveled with us from

306
00:15:36,389 --> 00:15:35,120
earth to mars and get it off the drill

307
00:15:37,829 --> 00:15:36,399
before we start trying to do any

308
00:15:40,069 --> 00:15:37,839
sampling

309
00:15:42,310 --> 00:15:40,079
and then so we decided that we're going

310
00:15:44,470 --> 00:15:42,320
to use that similar approach

311
00:15:47,189 --> 00:15:44,480
on the drill to help clear out any of

312
00:15:48,790 --> 00:15:47,199
this fine powder from these ball locks

313
00:15:50,629 --> 00:15:48,800
once we did that we're able to get the

314
00:15:50,949 --> 00:15:50,639
ball locks to actually operate back into

315
00:15:54,470 --> 00:15:50,959
the

316
00:15:55,910 --> 00:15:54,480
into a i'll say a clean state um to and

317
00:15:58,629 --> 00:15:55,920
they moved there freely again

318
00:16:00,230 --> 00:15:58,639
so it was something that uh um that we

319
00:16:02,550 --> 00:16:00,240
discovered here because we needed to

320
00:16:05,350 --> 00:16:02,560
really interact with the rocks to see it

321
00:16:06,310 --> 00:16:05,360
um and it's now something in our in our

322
00:16:09,430 --> 00:16:06,320
repertoire to

323
00:16:11,430 --> 00:16:09,440
to fix as or to to use while we're

324
00:16:13,509 --> 00:16:11,440
on the surface to help mitigate this

325
00:16:15,749 --> 00:16:13,519
issue

326
00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:15,759
and someone on social media actually has

327
00:16:20,230 --> 00:16:17,600
a really good follow-up question to that

328
00:16:21,350 --> 00:16:20,240
abdul on facebook wants to know is the

329
00:16:25,430 --> 00:16:21,360
martian ground

330
00:16:27,829 --> 00:16:25,440
sand or clay it's actually a

331
00:16:28,870 --> 00:16:27,839
mixture right um so there's actually a

332
00:16:31,670 --> 00:16:28,880
wide range of

333
00:16:33,509 --> 00:16:31,680
of uh types of rocks that we uh that we

334
00:16:34,470 --> 00:16:33,519
interact with there's there are clays

335
00:16:38,230 --> 00:16:34,480
for sure

336
00:16:41,990 --> 00:16:38,240
um there are um some some mudstones

337
00:16:44,389 --> 00:16:42,000
uh which is more like a clay uh

338
00:16:45,829 --> 00:16:44,399
uh you know harder harder rocks we also

339
00:16:47,430 --> 00:16:45,839
have regolith which is just you know

340
00:16:50,230 --> 00:16:47,440
like a scent you know sand

341
00:16:52,150 --> 00:16:50,240
uh consistency that you might see so we

342
00:16:53,030 --> 00:16:52,160
actually have a wide range of rocks that

343
00:16:54,790 --> 00:16:53,040
we have to

344
00:16:56,230 --> 00:16:54,800
be able to interact with and to take

345
00:16:58,470 --> 00:16:56,240
samples so

346
00:16:59,430 --> 00:16:58,480
we've actually developed uh algorithms

347
00:17:03,509 --> 00:16:59,440
to

348
00:17:05,029 --> 00:17:03,519
samples up

349
00:17:07,429 --> 00:17:05,039
too much as we're as we're trying to

350
00:17:09,429 --> 00:17:07,439
take a core sample so depending on how

351
00:17:10,789 --> 00:17:09,439
hard or soft the rock is

352
00:17:13,029 --> 00:17:10,799
we'll change our spindle and our

353
00:17:16,230 --> 00:17:13,039
percussive percussive frequency

354
00:17:18,630 --> 00:17:16,240
uh to adapt to the to the varying uh

355
00:17:21,270 --> 00:17:18,640
uh uh types of rocks that we might

356
00:17:26,710 --> 00:17:24,549
and tracy on facebook wants to know more

357
00:17:28,549 --> 00:17:26,720
about the samples that she wants to know

358
00:17:32,230 --> 00:17:28,559
will perseverance actually bring

359
00:17:34,630 --> 00:17:32,240
samples back to earth right so

360
00:17:35,430 --> 00:17:34,640
perseverance is not the return mission

361
00:17:38,549 --> 00:17:35,440
so our

362
00:17:40,549 --> 00:17:38,559
our job is to actually go and collect

363
00:17:41,510 --> 00:17:40,559
the samples whether it's a regolith or

364
00:17:44,549 --> 00:17:41,520
sand

365
00:17:46,630 --> 00:17:44,559
material or or actual rock samples

366
00:17:47,830 --> 00:17:46,640
once we actually take the rock sample

367
00:17:50,310 --> 00:17:47,840
out of the ground

368
00:17:52,630 --> 00:17:50,320
we'll then hermetically seal the tube

369
00:17:55,750 --> 00:17:52,640
the tube will eventually be dropped off

370
00:17:57,990 --> 00:17:55,760
um at a site where a future mission

371
00:17:59,350 --> 00:17:58,000
um would be able to come and pick it up

372
00:18:01,190 --> 00:17:59,360
and and uh

373
00:18:02,470 --> 00:18:01,200
you know potentially bring the samples

374
00:18:05,190 --> 00:18:02,480
back um but

375
00:18:06,070 --> 00:18:05,200
our job is to actually uh collect the

376
00:18:07,590 --> 00:18:06,080
sample

377
00:18:09,190 --> 00:18:07,600
and keep it hermetic and make it

378
00:18:09,830 --> 00:18:09,200
hermetically sealed for a future

379
00:18:13,590 --> 00:18:09,840
mission's

380
00:18:13,990 --> 00:18:13,600
return then emily on facebook wants to

381
00:18:15,510 --> 00:18:14,000
know

382
00:18:17,669 --> 00:18:15,520
about that will the collection

383
00:18:18,950 --> 00:18:17,679
techniques for perseverance on mars be

384
00:18:22,789 --> 00:18:18,960
similar to the way

385
00:18:24,950 --> 00:18:22,799
osiris-rex sampled bennu

386
00:18:27,430 --> 00:18:24,960
uh no it's it's a little bit different

387
00:18:28,070 --> 00:18:27,440
um so we're actually taking a coring

388
00:18:31,110 --> 00:18:28,080
drill

389
00:18:32,070 --> 00:18:31,120
to to go up to about 70 millimeters deep

390
00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:32,080
into the

391
00:18:37,590 --> 00:18:35,200
right so

392
00:18:38,230 --> 00:18:37,600
we're actually planning on taking core

393
00:18:40,710 --> 00:18:38,240
samples

394
00:18:41,990 --> 00:18:40,720
out of the ground whereas i think in

395
00:18:45,029 --> 00:18:42,000
osiris-rex it's

396
00:18:45,350 --> 00:18:45,039
more of a uh they do some ingestion of

397
00:18:52,789 --> 00:18:45,360
the

398
00:18:53,430 --> 00:18:52,799
um ours is to actually um we will do

399
00:18:55,590 --> 00:18:53,440
some

400
00:18:57,830 --> 00:18:55,600
science ahead of time so we know which

401
00:18:59,190 --> 00:18:57,840
rocks we want to pick up and sample

402
00:19:01,350 --> 00:18:59,200
but we're actually going to go in and

403
00:19:03,909 --> 00:19:01,360
take a sample out of the ground

404
00:19:07,110 --> 00:19:03,919
um it's it's probably about the the

405
00:19:09,750 --> 00:19:07,120
width of your pinky or at least my pinky

406
00:19:10,310 --> 00:19:09,760
um and and you know about that that size

407
00:19:12,070 --> 00:19:10,320
too is

408
00:19:15,029 --> 00:19:12,080
as far as uh you know how much sample

409
00:19:17,110 --> 00:19:15,039
we're going to get out of the ground

410
00:19:18,630 --> 00:19:17,120
never thought of it that way before and

411
00:19:20,710 --> 00:19:18,640
thank you emily for

412
00:19:21,990 --> 00:19:20,720
keeping track of several missions at

413
00:19:24,950 --> 00:19:22,000
once too

414
00:19:26,710 --> 00:19:24,960
and now we have sandy on facebook asking

415
00:19:28,310 --> 00:19:26,720
what will we be able to learn about the

416
00:19:30,230 --> 00:19:28,320
samples collected

417
00:19:33,270 --> 00:19:30,240
prior to bringing the samples back to

418
00:19:34,870 --> 00:19:33,280
earth for further study

419
00:19:37,510 --> 00:19:34,880
uh so we have a couple different

420
00:19:40,710 --> 00:19:37,520
instruments that we'll be doing

421
00:19:41,510 --> 00:19:40,720
x-ray uh spectroscopy um to actually

422
00:19:44,710 --> 00:19:41,520
determine

423
00:19:45,990 --> 00:19:44,720
um what sort of uh content might be in

424
00:19:47,830 --> 00:19:46,000
those rocks right so

425
00:19:49,510 --> 00:19:47,840
um the idea is that we're gonna go

426
00:19:52,390 --> 00:19:49,520
around and we are gonna look

427
00:19:52,870 --> 00:19:52,400
you know at different rock samples now

428
00:19:55,510 --> 00:19:52,880
right

429
00:19:57,270 --> 00:19:55,520
rocks may have different shapes and may

430
00:19:58,070 --> 00:19:57,280
look a little bit different based on on

431
00:20:00,310 --> 00:19:58,080
where they're at

432
00:20:01,270 --> 00:20:00,320
and and but some of the chemical

433
00:20:03,430 --> 00:20:01,280
composition

434
00:20:04,950 --> 00:20:03,440
may be the same between between rocks

435
00:20:06,230 --> 00:20:04,960
that look look different

436
00:20:08,149 --> 00:20:06,240
so the idea is that we're going to

437
00:20:10,149 --> 00:20:08,159
actually go ahead and and we will do

438
00:20:11,750 --> 00:20:10,159
potentially in a braided patch first

439
00:20:12,310 --> 00:20:11,760
where we might clear off some of the

440
00:20:14,870 --> 00:20:12,320
initial

441
00:20:15,750 --> 00:20:14,880
i'll say the weathering um that that's

442
00:20:18,789 --> 00:20:15,760
happened on

443
00:20:19,669 --> 00:20:18,799
on mars over the time and get down and

444
00:20:21,350 --> 00:20:19,679
make uh

445
00:20:23,430 --> 00:20:21,360
make a judgment on whether or not we

446
00:20:26,230 --> 00:20:23,440
actually want uh that rock

447
00:20:27,110 --> 00:20:26,240
so um the scientists have a whole uh

448
00:20:29,750 --> 00:20:27,120
collection of

449
00:20:30,710 --> 00:20:29,760
of uh of instruments that they're gonna

450
00:20:32,950 --> 00:20:30,720
use to

451
00:20:36,390 --> 00:20:32,960
to pick up uh you know decide which

452
00:20:40,870 --> 00:20:39,350
and then this one is from maikiki and it

453
00:20:43,110 --> 00:20:40,880
kind of goes back to what we first

454
00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:43,120
touched on they ask did you always have

455
00:20:46,630 --> 00:20:43,919
a love for

456
00:20:49,510 --> 00:20:46,640
jet propulsion and or the aerospace

457
00:20:51,750 --> 00:20:49,520
engineering industry

458
00:20:53,110 --> 00:20:51,760
so so i'll be a little embarrassed on

459
00:20:56,710 --> 00:20:53,120
this one right i think

460
00:20:59,430 --> 00:20:56,720
my initial love was aerospace because i

461
00:21:01,270 --> 00:20:59,440
didn't know that the jet propulsion

462
00:21:02,070 --> 00:21:01,280
existed in the way it does today right

463
00:21:05,750 --> 00:21:02,080
so

464
00:21:07,830 --> 00:21:05,760
uh now that i'm at jpl it's

465
00:21:09,029 --> 00:21:07,840
you know by far this is this is where i

466
00:21:11,430 --> 00:21:09,039
want it to be

467
00:21:12,950 --> 00:21:11,440
uh nowhere else right so this is this is

468
00:21:17,430 --> 00:21:12,960
one of those things where

469
00:21:19,669 --> 00:21:17,440
you know i just didn't know i was not as

470
00:21:20,470 --> 00:21:19,679
as kid into you know the different

471
00:21:22,310 --> 00:21:20,480
centers and

472
00:21:23,669 --> 00:21:22,320
and what everybody does but you know the

473
00:21:26,310 --> 00:21:23,679
work that we do here the

474
00:21:27,669 --> 00:21:26,320
the our ability to be hands-on and work

475
00:21:29,270 --> 00:21:27,679
and design and

476
00:21:31,590 --> 00:21:29,280
and build and get your hands dirty that

477
00:21:34,710 --> 00:21:31,600
that's what really makes it for me so um

478
00:21:36,470 --> 00:21:34,720
yeah so i you know as much as i'd like

479
00:21:39,430 --> 00:21:36,480
to say jpl was always my

480
00:21:41,430 --> 00:21:39,440
my go-to my number one it i just i just

481
00:21:43,350 --> 00:21:41,440
wasn't aware of it when i was first

482
00:21:44,630 --> 00:21:43,360
getting out of college and and looking

483
00:21:47,110 --> 00:21:44,640
around so

484
00:21:48,470 --> 00:21:47,120
um so yeah so sorry i guess aerospace

485
00:21:51,669 --> 00:21:48,480
but

486
00:21:54,549 --> 00:21:51,679
you know jpl opened my eyes to to the

487
00:21:56,070 --> 00:21:54,559
how fun this work could really be it's

488
00:21:58,149 --> 00:21:56,080
okay admitting that you didn't know

489
00:21:59,350 --> 00:21:58,159
lots of kids that are watching right now

490
00:22:01,590 --> 00:21:59,360
might wonder

491
00:22:03,830 --> 00:22:01,600
how do you get involved or how do you

492
00:22:05,510 --> 00:22:03,840
learn about the different types

493
00:22:07,510 --> 00:22:05,520
of engineering that's involved in the

494
00:22:10,710 --> 00:22:07,520
industry

495
00:22:12,390 --> 00:22:10,720
well i mean the thing is is you know

496
00:22:14,149 --> 00:22:12,400
there's probably every type of

497
00:22:17,110 --> 00:22:14,159
engineering that you can imagine is

498
00:22:18,230 --> 00:22:17,120
and and science is is part of part of

499
00:22:21,029 --> 00:22:18,240
jpl

500
00:22:21,990 --> 00:22:21,039
um you know i i know that i've talked to

501
00:22:25,350 --> 00:22:22,000
people that

502
00:22:26,789 --> 00:22:25,360
develop software um you know electrical

503
00:22:27,350 --> 00:22:26,799
engineering of course mechanical

504
00:22:30,149 --> 00:22:27,360
engineering

505
00:22:31,029 --> 00:22:30,159
aerospace um you know chemical

506
00:22:33,110 --> 00:22:31,039
engineering

507
00:22:34,549 --> 00:22:33,120
you know from you know chemists to

508
00:22:36,630 --> 00:22:34,559
physicists

509
00:22:38,149 --> 00:22:36,640
you know i think we probably hit the

510
00:22:39,990 --> 00:22:38,159
range i don't know that there's an

511
00:22:42,070 --> 00:22:40,000
engineering discipline

512
00:22:45,029 --> 00:22:42,080
that you can probably ask is is this one

513
00:22:48,230 --> 00:22:45,039
that's relevant to jpl then we'd say no

514
00:22:49,510 --> 00:22:48,240
because we do rely on on outside you

515
00:22:50,149 --> 00:22:49,520
know thinking out of the box and

516
00:22:54,070 --> 00:22:50,159
bringing in

517
00:22:55,669 --> 00:22:54,080
outside i'll say views into

518
00:22:57,750 --> 00:22:55,679
into solving some of these problems

519
00:22:58,310 --> 00:22:57,760
they're not all just kind of black and

520
00:23:00,310 --> 00:22:58,320
white and

521
00:23:02,230 --> 00:23:00,320
purely mechanical pretty electrical as

522
00:23:03,350 --> 00:23:02,240
robotics i mean it's it's all over the

523
00:23:05,830 --> 00:23:03,360
place and

524
00:23:07,510 --> 00:23:05,840
and um so i don't know that there's a a

525
00:23:09,350 --> 00:23:07,520
bad engineering it's more

526
00:23:10,950 --> 00:23:09,360
making sure you do something that you

527
00:23:12,630 --> 00:23:10,960
really enjoy

528
00:23:14,230 --> 00:23:12,640
because that's where when you really

529
00:23:15,669 --> 00:23:14,240
enjoy what you're doing that's where the

530
00:23:18,310 --> 00:23:15,679
work really shines

531
00:23:19,830 --> 00:23:18,320
and that's where we're able to to you

532
00:23:22,630 --> 00:23:19,840
know to really show that

533
00:23:24,470 --> 00:23:22,640
you know how exceptional or work can be

534
00:23:26,390 --> 00:23:24,480
because i think everybody that that does

535
00:23:28,470 --> 00:23:26,400
a work here really enjoys

536
00:23:31,110 --> 00:23:28,480
um you know their their engineering and

537
00:23:33,590 --> 00:23:31,120
they have a passion for what they do

538
00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:33,600
and then nabil on youtube wants to know

539
00:23:41,029 --> 00:23:37,840
how did you develop your soft skills

540
00:23:45,269 --> 00:23:41,039
oh a lot of trial and error it was

541
00:23:46,870 --> 00:23:45,279
uh you know i've i've had to uh you know

542
00:23:48,549 --> 00:23:46,880
work with teams right we always work

543
00:23:51,190 --> 00:23:48,559
with teams um

544
00:23:53,190 --> 00:23:51,200
we work as a as a fairly large you know

545
00:23:55,510 --> 00:23:53,200
community of of engineers

546
00:23:56,950 --> 00:23:55,520
uh working to get things through and and

547
00:23:59,110 --> 00:23:56,960
you know over time

548
00:24:00,630 --> 00:23:59,120
you know i i've made my mistakes and you

549
00:24:01,590 --> 00:24:00,640
know maybe come down a little too hard

550
00:24:04,310 --> 00:24:01,600
on somebody or

551
00:24:05,909 --> 00:24:04,320
or vice versa and so i've learned and i

552
00:24:07,990 --> 00:24:05,919
i try to learn from

553
00:24:10,149 --> 00:24:08,000
other managers that i've worked for you

554
00:24:10,710 --> 00:24:10,159
know i i you know i may take a piece

555
00:24:15,350 --> 00:24:10,720
from

556
00:24:18,470 --> 00:24:15,360
and try to get that to sort of become

557
00:24:19,350 --> 00:24:18,480
mine and so yeah it's it's a it's a

558
00:24:21,669 --> 00:24:19,360
learned process

559
00:24:23,510 --> 00:24:21,679
and and uh you know one thing i think

560
00:24:25,269 --> 00:24:23,520
i've learned at jpl is we're not afraid

561
00:24:26,630 --> 00:24:25,279
to make mistakes or or to

562
00:24:29,110 --> 00:24:26,640
get something wrong we just want to

563
00:24:30,950 --> 00:24:29,120
learn from it uh and then move on

564
00:24:32,789 --> 00:24:30,960
and and and do better about it the next

565
00:24:34,870 --> 00:24:32,799
time so that's i think i'd say

566
00:24:35,830 --> 00:24:34,880
during date on the job and interacting

567
00:24:38,870 --> 00:24:35,840
with the teams and

568
00:24:39,750 --> 00:24:38,880
and and you know emulating some people

569
00:24:42,950 --> 00:24:39,760
that i admire

570
00:24:44,710 --> 00:24:42,960
at jpl that's great and

571
00:24:46,149 --> 00:24:44,720
liesel on youtube wants to know if you

572
00:24:49,350 --> 00:24:46,159
have any tips for women

573
00:24:50,070 --> 00:24:49,360
wanting to get into engineering well i

574
00:24:53,350 --> 00:24:50,080
mean

575
00:24:55,350 --> 00:24:53,360
you know it's same i'll say the same

576
00:24:56,630 --> 00:24:55,360
thing right is make sure you enjoy what

577
00:24:58,950 --> 00:24:56,640
you're doing

578
00:25:00,390 --> 00:24:58,960
um if you have the passion for it you

579
00:25:03,909 --> 00:25:00,400
know i know

580
00:25:07,190 --> 00:25:03,919
uh there's been a lot of uh you know

581
00:25:09,350 --> 00:25:07,200
you know females on my team for sure and

582
00:25:11,510 --> 00:25:09,360
you know i'll say you know they're just

583
00:25:13,750 --> 00:25:11,520
as good as everybody else right

584
00:25:15,990 --> 00:25:13,760
um oftentimes i feel you know that

585
00:25:19,990 --> 00:25:16,000
they're they come in and they bring in

586
00:25:23,110 --> 00:25:20,000
a a uh you know solid understanding of

587
00:25:24,230 --> 00:25:23,120
everything that we do um you know as as

588
00:25:26,390 --> 00:25:24,240
coming in and just

589
00:25:28,870 --> 00:25:26,400
just kicking butt right uh you know i'm

590
00:25:31,350 --> 00:25:28,880
a proud dad of two girls

591
00:25:32,070 --> 00:25:31,360
and i i can't wait to see them uh get

592
00:25:35,110 --> 00:25:32,080
out there and

593
00:25:38,549 --> 00:25:35,120
and make an impact this is great proud

594
00:25:42,310 --> 00:25:41,830
and how is testing coming along sc on

595
00:25:46,390 --> 00:25:42,320
youtube

596
00:25:49,190 --> 00:25:46,400
asks are you still testing right now

597
00:25:49,909 --> 00:25:49,200
yes um that's one thing i think that we

598
00:25:52,149 --> 00:25:49,919
always do

599
00:25:53,750 --> 00:25:52,159
right we test and test and test because

600
00:25:55,350 --> 00:25:53,760
we want to find

601
00:25:57,750 --> 00:25:55,360
all the corner cases we want to make

602
00:26:01,029 --> 00:25:57,760
sure this thing is going to work

603
00:26:03,190 --> 00:26:01,039
um you know when we go and an

604
00:26:04,789 --> 00:26:03,200
unknown environment right we don't know

605
00:26:07,510 --> 00:26:04,799
what we might encounter right

606
00:26:10,310 --> 00:26:07,520
um so we want to test we want to test as

607
00:26:11,909 --> 00:26:10,320
much as we can so we will be testing um

608
00:26:13,430 --> 00:26:11,919
you know our introducing and landing

609
00:26:15,430 --> 00:26:13,440
we're going to be testing that all the

610
00:26:17,430 --> 00:26:15,440
way into just about we land

611
00:26:19,110 --> 00:26:17,440
and and making sure that our our

612
00:26:20,310 --> 00:26:19,120
software our sensors everything is

613
00:26:22,950 --> 00:26:20,320
robust to

614
00:26:24,230 --> 00:26:22,960
to anything that we might see coming in

615
00:26:26,149 --> 00:26:24,240
additionally

616
00:26:27,510 --> 00:26:26,159
you know we have a bunch of we have

617
00:26:29,110 --> 00:26:27,520
rocks that we're still

618
00:26:31,190 --> 00:26:29,120
working and testing with our sample

619
00:26:33,110 --> 00:26:31,200
caching system we're still making

620
00:26:33,990 --> 00:26:33,120
progress there and we're still trying to

621
00:26:35,669 --> 00:26:34,000
define

622
00:26:37,430 --> 00:26:35,679
you know all the corner cases and making

623
00:26:39,350 --> 00:26:37,440
sure that that there's nothing that can

624
00:26:41,909 --> 00:26:39,360
surprise us on mars we want to

625
00:26:44,470 --> 00:26:41,919
you know often times we try to stress

626
00:26:46,630 --> 00:26:44,480
the the system out and get to its

627
00:26:48,630 --> 00:26:46,640
um you know three times life on things

628
00:26:51,190 --> 00:26:48,640
that move we want to make sure that

629
00:26:52,549 --> 00:26:51,200
if it was designed for to last a year

630
00:26:54,390 --> 00:26:52,559
that we can we can actually

631
00:26:56,870 --> 00:26:54,400
operate it for three years to make sure

632
00:26:59,269 --> 00:26:56,880
that we have a robust design that

633
00:27:01,350 --> 00:26:59,279
that can complete the mission as planned

634
00:27:04,149 --> 00:27:01,360
so yeah we always test and and

635
00:27:05,590 --> 00:27:04,159
um you know like i said this is uh you

636
00:27:05,990 --> 00:27:05,600
know something that we do all the time

637
00:27:09,110 --> 00:27:06,000
right we

638
00:27:09,510 --> 00:27:09,120
really just plow through and and and

639
00:27:14,870 --> 00:27:09,520
test

640
00:27:16,470 --> 00:27:14,880
we ever get tired of that

641
00:27:18,870 --> 00:27:16,480
catherine has a perfect follow-up

642
00:27:21,029 --> 00:27:18,880
question for that on facebook she asks

643
00:27:21,990 --> 00:27:21,039
when designing and engineering this

644
00:27:24,870 --> 00:27:22,000
project

645
00:27:25,909 --> 00:27:24,880
were the same ideas used from curiosity

646
00:27:29,909 --> 00:27:25,919
or do you start it

647
00:27:33,909 --> 00:27:29,919
all from scratch that's a good question

648
00:27:34,389 --> 00:27:33,919
this mission was curiosity was a basis

649
00:27:39,990 --> 00:27:34,399
for

650
00:27:41,669 --> 00:27:40,000
try to do is we try to we try to reuse a

651
00:27:43,909 --> 00:27:41,679
lot of the electronics and some

652
00:27:45,430 --> 00:27:43,919
and you know some of the hardware uh the

653
00:27:48,950 --> 00:27:45,440
mechanical structures that we could

654
00:27:51,190 --> 00:27:48,960
we could fit um and part of it was

655
00:27:52,389 --> 00:27:51,200
um you know we're getting to the point

656
00:27:54,870 --> 00:27:52,399
on our current

657
00:27:56,630 --> 00:27:54,880
technology of how big we can actually

658
00:27:58,950 --> 00:27:56,640
have these rovers what's the mass that

659
00:28:01,590 --> 00:27:58,960
we can safely land on another planet

660
00:28:03,029 --> 00:28:01,600
um and so we want to kind of stay within

661
00:28:05,110 --> 00:28:03,039
those constraints

662
00:28:06,310 --> 00:28:05,120
the sample caching system however was

663
00:28:08,549 --> 00:28:06,320
was brand new

664
00:28:09,430 --> 00:28:08,559
so that was something that we had to

665
00:28:11,990 --> 00:28:09,440
develop from

666
00:28:14,149 --> 00:28:12,000
from scratch if you will um you know we

667
00:28:17,669 --> 00:28:14,159
did have the robotic arm and the drill

668
00:28:20,549 --> 00:28:17,679
or a version of the drill from from msl

669
00:28:21,909 --> 00:28:20,559
my mark science laboratory um but we

670
00:28:22,950 --> 00:28:21,919
actually had to make improvements on

671
00:28:25,669 --> 00:28:22,960
that to make sure

672
00:28:27,430 --> 00:28:25,679
um you know we were able to uh to meet

673
00:28:29,830 --> 00:28:27,440
the mission requirements right so

674
00:28:30,870 --> 00:28:29,840
every part of the sample caching system

675
00:28:33,590 --> 00:28:30,880
i would argue is

676
00:28:35,430 --> 00:28:33,600
is new whether in in redesigning and

677
00:28:36,149 --> 00:28:35,440
making it lighter like the robotic arm

678
00:28:38,630 --> 00:28:36,159
bed

679
00:28:39,350 --> 00:28:38,640
or making a more capable drill for for

680
00:28:41,190 --> 00:28:39,360
what we have

681
00:28:43,909 --> 00:28:41,200
for taking cores and of course all the

682
00:28:47,110 --> 00:28:43,919
adaptive cache and assembly

683
00:28:50,230 --> 00:28:47,120
hardware inside the rover and

684
00:28:54,310 --> 00:28:50,240
liesel on youtube asks can dust on mars

685
00:29:00,950 --> 00:28:57,510
uh i i would say

686
00:29:04,950 --> 00:29:00,960
arguably maybe um i i don't i

687
00:29:08,230 --> 00:29:04,960
we are typically all of our connectors

688
00:29:11,110 --> 00:29:08,240
wires cables um the belly pan

689
00:29:12,789 --> 00:29:11,120
everything is is sealed up with uh you

690
00:29:15,350 --> 00:29:12,799
know so it's going to have

691
00:29:16,470 --> 00:29:15,360
you know we may get some dust in there

692
00:29:18,630 --> 00:29:16,480
but the idea is that

693
00:29:19,990 --> 00:29:18,640
you know we you know we use uh like for

694
00:29:22,470 --> 00:29:20,000
the electronics

695
00:29:23,430 --> 00:29:22,480
um things are typically uh conformally

696
00:29:25,830 --> 00:29:23,440
coated

697
00:29:26,710 --> 00:29:25,840
um which means that there's a a thin

698
00:29:28,230 --> 00:29:26,720
film uh

699
00:29:30,470 --> 00:29:28,240
coating that gets added to all the

700
00:29:32,789 --> 00:29:30,480
electronics to keep things from like

701
00:29:35,269 --> 00:29:32,799
from any fog to enter and potentially

702
00:29:37,350 --> 00:29:35,279
damage electronics short something out

703
00:29:38,630 --> 00:29:37,360
um so that's that's the one thing is you

704
00:29:41,669 --> 00:29:38,640
know the dust might have an

705
00:29:45,029 --> 00:29:41,679
impact but i haven't really seen it much

706
00:29:47,350 --> 00:29:45,039
outside of uh gunking up

707
00:29:49,350 --> 00:29:47,360
gears and things of that nature not not

708
00:29:51,350 --> 00:29:49,360
so much on the electronics

709
00:29:52,630 --> 00:29:51,360
but again i you know i i don't know that

710
00:29:53,990 --> 00:29:52,640
i can say that for sure that

711
00:29:56,549 --> 00:29:54,000
dust will not have an impact on the

712
00:30:00,310 --> 00:29:56,559
electronics uh but yeah so it's a

713
00:30:02,470 --> 00:30:00,320
soft answer it works though i

714
00:30:03,909 --> 00:30:02,480
have a follow-up question too that they

715
00:30:06,950 --> 00:30:03,919
want to know does it ever get

716
00:30:10,470 --> 00:30:06,960
frustrating testing so much

717
00:30:13,350 --> 00:30:10,480
uh yes it does sometimes

718
00:30:14,789 --> 00:30:13,360
um because sometimes and sometimes it's

719
00:30:17,029 --> 00:30:14,799
because the problems come

720
00:30:18,549 --> 00:30:17,039
up and they're really hard to to figure

721
00:30:20,630 --> 00:30:18,559
out and diagnose

722
00:30:22,310 --> 00:30:20,640
uh you know coming to the root cause of

723
00:30:23,830 --> 00:30:22,320
the problem

724
00:30:25,669 --> 00:30:23,840
is sometimes you know extremely

725
00:30:27,269 --> 00:30:25,679
difficult and

726
00:30:28,950 --> 00:30:27,279
and so it gets a little frustrating

727
00:30:31,190 --> 00:30:28,960
sometimes and and uh

728
00:30:32,470 --> 00:30:31,200
but i know over over the years that i've

729
00:30:34,710 --> 00:30:32,480
been working there

730
00:30:37,430 --> 00:30:34,720
i've learned how to sort of take a step

731
00:30:39,909 --> 00:30:37,440
back from time to time and

732
00:30:41,590 --> 00:30:39,919
and just underst you know kind of take a

733
00:30:42,149 --> 00:30:41,600
step back and and take a breath and say

734
00:30:43,430 --> 00:30:42,159
okay

735
00:30:45,909 --> 00:30:43,440
this is what you're doing you're working

736
00:30:47,909 --> 00:30:45,919
on a rover that's about to go to mars

737
00:30:49,750 --> 00:30:47,919
okay take a deep breath now get back

738
00:30:51,510 --> 00:30:49,760
into it and and don't let this problem

739
00:30:54,389 --> 00:30:51,520
beat you right so

740
00:30:55,190 --> 00:30:54,399
that's one of the things that i think uh

741
00:30:56,950 --> 00:30:55,200
you know that

742
00:30:58,549 --> 00:30:56,960
yeah it gets frustrating sometimes but i

743
00:30:59,509 --> 00:30:58,559
think if we just all take a step back

744
00:31:01,430 --> 00:30:59,519
and a breath

745
00:31:02,549 --> 00:31:01,440
we can overcome these problems and in

746
00:31:05,110 --> 00:31:02,559
general you know

747
00:31:06,630 --> 00:31:05,120
we might have a problem that shows up um

748
00:31:08,470 --> 00:31:06,640
but typically we've already known about

749
00:31:11,269 --> 00:31:08,480
it and already ready to mitigate it as

750
00:31:13,269 --> 00:31:11,279
as it comes out so um so yeah it's a

751
00:31:17,269 --> 00:31:13,279
little frustrating sometimes

752
00:31:19,830 --> 00:31:17,279
it's to be prepared yeah

753
00:31:21,269 --> 00:31:19,840
the final question we have is what

754
00:31:22,950 --> 00:31:21,279
technical skills do you think are the

755
00:31:26,230 --> 00:31:22,960
most important especially now that

756
00:31:29,750 --> 00:31:26,240
you're leading such a huge project

757
00:31:33,190 --> 00:31:29,760
oh technical skills um you know i think

758
00:31:35,430 --> 00:31:33,200
i think one of the biggest things is

759
00:31:37,190 --> 00:31:35,440
is to rely on your team it's not so much

760
00:31:39,029 --> 00:31:37,200
a technical skill right

761
00:31:41,909 --> 00:31:39,039
my my expertise is electrical

762
00:31:43,110 --> 00:31:41,919
engineering integration and tests and

763
00:31:44,950 --> 00:31:43,120
and you know some of the system

764
00:31:47,669 --> 00:31:44,960
designing

765
00:31:48,389 --> 00:31:47,679
but i don't know everything you know and

766
00:31:50,389 --> 00:31:48,399
and uh

767
00:31:52,549 --> 00:31:50,399
i don't i i don't pretend to know

768
00:31:54,950 --> 00:31:52,559
everything so i i make sure that

769
00:31:56,310 --> 00:31:54,960
the team is comprised of folks that are

770
00:31:59,590 --> 00:31:56,320
willing to be collaborative

771
00:32:00,549 --> 00:31:59,600
and want to work together and and as a

772
00:32:02,870 --> 00:32:00,559
team

773
00:32:04,789 --> 00:32:02,880
we come together and and and make the

774
00:32:06,389 --> 00:32:04,799
right choices and and oftentimes you

775
00:32:07,669 --> 00:32:06,399
know i i may have to make the last

776
00:32:10,310 --> 00:32:07,679
decision on something

777
00:32:10,950 --> 00:32:10,320
before it goes to my boss to to decide

778
00:32:14,310 --> 00:32:10,960
um

779
00:32:16,389 --> 00:32:14,320
and so it's it's the ability to you know

780
00:32:18,470 --> 00:32:16,399
understand the different points of views

781
00:32:20,630 --> 00:32:18,480
uh try to synthesize all that and then

782
00:32:22,070 --> 00:32:20,640
and then make a good decision

783
00:32:23,750 --> 00:32:22,080
that you know it's beneficial to the

784
00:32:25,830 --> 00:32:23,760
project and not just you know

785
00:32:27,110 --> 00:32:25,840
uh you know set aside because that's the

786
00:32:28,310 --> 00:32:27,120
way i want to do it or i just don't

787
00:32:30,710 --> 00:32:28,320
understand something

788
00:32:32,470 --> 00:32:30,720
so you know i think i really i don't

789
00:32:34,230 --> 00:32:32,480
know if there's any real

790
00:32:35,590 --> 00:32:34,240
technical stuff i mean when when it

791
00:32:37,509 --> 00:32:35,600
comes to electrical stuff

792
00:32:39,669 --> 00:32:37,519
electrical engineering i am definitely

793
00:32:42,389 --> 00:32:39,679
there and and providing my opinion

794
00:32:43,110 --> 00:32:42,399
and and where we're at but when it comes

795
00:32:44,950 --> 00:32:43,120
to

796
00:32:47,269 --> 00:32:44,960
you know potentially a mechanical

797
00:32:49,190 --> 00:32:47,279
failure that you know i have to rely on

798
00:32:50,389 --> 00:32:49,200
on on the folks on my team that are

799
00:32:52,630 --> 00:32:50,399
experts or uh

800
00:32:54,549 --> 00:32:52,640
in that area to help uh guide the

801
00:32:57,430 --> 00:32:54,559
decision process right so

802
00:32:58,630 --> 00:32:57,440
um i don't know if it's if it's just you

803
00:33:00,310 --> 00:32:58,640
know one

804
00:33:01,909 --> 00:33:00,320
it is technical to actually be able to

805
00:33:03,990 --> 00:33:01,919
understand everything but it's more

806
00:33:05,750 --> 00:33:04,000
uh i'll say it goes back to some of the

807
00:33:08,549 --> 00:33:05,760
soft skills as being able to

808
00:33:08,870 --> 00:33:08,559
uh synthesize all that and and come to a

809
00:33:14,310 --> 00:33:08,880
good

810
00:33:15,430 --> 00:33:14,320
wrap up all the questions thank you for

811
00:33:17,430 --> 00:33:15,440
your questions at home

812
00:33:19,190 --> 00:33:17,440
and thank you so much for joining us

813
00:33:22,230 --> 00:33:19,200
today eric

814
00:33:24,470 --> 00:33:22,240
thank you raquel and the rover

815
00:33:27,269 --> 00:33:24,480
is currently on its way to mars and set

816
00:33:30,149 --> 00:33:27,279
to land on the red planet on february 18

817
00:33:31,909 --> 00:33:30,159
2021 for the latest on the mission

818
00:33:33,909 --> 00:33:31,919
follow at nasa persevere

819
00:33:36,070 --> 00:33:33,919
on twitter and facebook and you can

820
00:33:37,269 --> 00:33:36,080
watch all of the behind the spacecraft

821
00:33:40,470 --> 00:33:37,279
video profiles