Planetary Surface Exploration: Recent Results and Analog Environments

Planetary surface exploration involves a variety of tasks whose accomplishment demands a broad mix of capabilities and strategies. As a model for the general problem, the exploration of Earth and the first forays to the Moon can be used to illustrate some of the strategies that have been used up to the present. Future exploration of the solar system can be guided by lessons learned in our own planetary system, and the use of hazardous environments on Earth can provide a valuable testing ground for future approaches to exploration. Some lessons from past Antarctic expeditions and recent field results from the Antarctic Space Analog Program illustrate the use of analog environments in preparation for space exploration.