Evaluating the performance of field science in an analogue EVA suit: stromatolite identification by geologists and non-geologists

Understanding the constraints of field work while in a space suit is critical when considering crewed exploration on the surface of the Moon, Mars and other accessible Solar System bodies. Mars Society Australia studied the effect of simulated space suits on field work during the Arkaroola Mars Robot Challenge Expedition in 2014. A simulated EVA suit from the Victorian Space Science Education Centre was used. The study attempted to assess the validity of predictions made from earlier trials in the Pilbara region with a different suit. The trial showed, as predicted, that the performance of geologists was greater than non-geologists, as determined by accuracy of observations. However we also observed, contra predictions, the analogue EVA suit did not degrade observational performance, but enhanced it. Further trials are recommended to test these observations. Perhaps most importantly, the experiment confirmed that suited geologists and appropriately briefed non-geologists would have no difficulty in correctly identifying stromatolite-like features on Mars.